Night At the Aquarium
by ladyxdaydream
Summary: Iruka and Kakashi were comfortable with their new married life. They never really gave children much thought. They liked their freedom (and their uninterrupted privacy), but one night at the aquarium changed everything. (Modern AU. KakaIru. KisaIta.)
1. Chapter 1

**Note: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. I have no affiliation with The Shedd Aquarium. All the content came from my own brain. This work is purely fiction.**

**01**

Iruka was putting on his wetsuit, reaching around to pull the long zipper up to the base of his neck. No matter how many times he'd done this over the past three years, he still felt nervous excitement every time. He threw his hair up into a tight bun, slipped the thin sliver whistle over his head, and closed his locker door.

He grabbed his bucket of prepared fish by the handle, which he had retrieved from the prep kitchen before changing, and made his way to the rocky alcove to begin his training session. He had two shows tomorrow, on top of hosting an overnight camp that same day, and wanted to rehearse some of the newer skills he'd recently taught her.

He placed his bucket down near the edge of the water, the wet ground squishing beneath the material on his feet. He crouched down, stuck his hand in, and wiggled it back and forth, creating a small splash. She surfaced a few moments later.

"Buenos días, cariño," Iruka said, tossing her a fish.

She gulped it down, bobbing in the water, as Iruka gave her a quick rub on her beak.

After running through the daily husbandry behavior (checking her fins, eyes, mouth, teeth, etc.), Iruka grabbed a long pole tipped with a red ball.

"Estás lista, Isla?" Iruka asked.

When he was alone, he tended to defer to Spanish. He considered it his first language, even though he spoke English just as fluently. Spanish was spoken at home when he was growing up, but English was ever present.

Isla stared at him, as if to say she was in fact, ready. Iruka held the pole out over the water, as she jumped up to bump it, prompting a whistle blow and a few fish, as a reward. Once he was finished with the basics, he retired the pole.

Standing near the edge of the water, he raised one hand up over his head and cut it sharply down, causing Isla to blast out of the water, completing a flip, before diving back in.

"Excellent, Isla!" Iruka praised, as she swam up to the edge for her fish.

He had been really happy with their training sessions lately. Isla learned quickly and their relationship had a nice dynamic. The show they were to perform tomorrow was new, having debuted two weeks ago, after a year in the making. Iruka was proud of it, having pushed it into this new direction himself.

The old show felt too staged. Too perky and presentational. It focused solely on the training aspect; it's main goal was to entertain an audience. The new show however, felt more natural and conversational. The videos between the animal segments had been updated to highlight the current rescue and rehabilitation efforts, the prioritization of animal care, and the emphasis the Shedd placed on conservation, instead of the old romantic narrative.

It also put the trainers on the mic, which was different, and came with it's own risks, one of them being that the dialogue wasn't super polished. However, no one knew these animals better than the trainers who worked with them. They could offer new information or quirks about a specific animal that only they experienced. As long as the trainers hit the cues for the music, the curators allowed room for improvisation in the dialogue.

When Iruka was satisfied with the run through, he tossed a ball and a hard plastic ring with 'kelp' strips attached to it, into the middle of the tank, before slipping into the fifty-five degree water. This was his favorite part of the day, the short "waterwork" sessions, which allowed free play between trainer and dolphin, designed to strengthen their bond.

Isla came up to Iruka first, exposing the thin black line that sharply demarcated her pale gray sides from her white belly, asking for a rub down. Iruka gave it to her gladly, before swimming over to the ball and clutching it in his hands against his chest. Isla pressed her beak into it, pushing Iruka backwards through the surface of the water.

She released him and went over to grab the plastic ring between her teeth, before diving below the water. Iruka submerged himself too, swimming alongside her, watching her play for a while. She'd release the ring, let it float towards the surface, and then grab and drag it back down again.

Iruka loved being beneath the water. Any sort of water. Whether it was the clear blue of the aquarium, the colorful reefs of the ocean, the icy cold of Lake Michigan, or simply the swimming pool at his gym, he felt most at home when buoyant.

—-

It was 5:00 on a Friday evening and Kakashi was putting his keys into the door after a long day at work. He climbed the stairs to his apartment, slipped out of his boots, and went to change out of his work uniform. He had texted Iruka about dinner over an hour ago and still hadn't gotten a reply. Not that he was surprised, Iruka rarely checked his phone while at work. It was probably sitting in his locker, turned off.

Kakashi went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. There were a few white cartons of take-out from last night that seemed tempting, but he decided to do something nice, and cook. He reached for the two salmon filets he had defrosted yesterday (and had fully intended to use for dinner but got held up at work, hence the take-out).

Out of the two of them, Iruka was the better cook. Kakashi could cook too, but Iruka was more versatile and intuitive, where as Kakashi had a few concrete things that he cooked really well. Fish, was one of them. He whisked soy sauce, rice vinegar, a touch of sesame oil and honey, with some minced ginger and garlic, before pouring it over the fish. He put it into the fridge to marinate, grabbed a bundle of asparagus from the produce drawer, and placed it on the counter, along with a cold beer. He'd cook that, and a pot of rice, closer to when Iruka got home, which probably wouldn't be until around 7.

He popped the cap off his beer, sidled over to the couch, and sunk into it. Pakkun leapt up next to him, sniffing Kakashi animately. Even though Kakashi had changed, he knew his skin still smelled of other dogs. He had had a particularly stressful house investigation today, involving a young man who was illegally breeding pitbulls in his basement. They had to evacuate fourteen puppies, all of which were sick and malnourished. No matter how many terrible things Kakashi had seen, it never got any easier.

He rubbed Pakkun behind the ears.

"I'll never understand people," he said to his dog, who began to lick his palm.

Kakashi had promised his sister Rin, that he'd come and see her band play tonight. He slightly regretted it, considering the day he had, but he wasn't about to back out. He'd already done that the last time. Besides, he did want to hear the new material. He wasn't going there just to support her, he actually _liked_ their music, too. If he had to describe it, he'd say somewhere between punk and hard rock. Similar to the Dead Weather or The Kills. Rin had been their drummer for over a year now, and they were gaining some traction in the Chicago music scene.

—

Kakashi had just turned off the rice and left it to steam, when Iruka came through the door.

"It smells amazing in here," Iruka said, while climbing the steps.

He hung his coat in the closet before entering the kitchen.

"Hi," he said, giving Kakashi a kiss in greeting.

"Hi."

"Do I have time for a quick shower?" Iruka asked, wrapping his arms around Kakashi's torso from behind.

"Sure. I still have to sear the asparagus. I'd say you have about ten minutes," Kakashi said, snapping the hard ends off the spears.

"Perfect," Iruka said, planting a kiss to his shoulder before releasing his arms from around his waist.

—

Kakashi was putting the second plate on the table when Iruka walked in, his damp hair cascading over his shoulders. It ended just above his navel.

"Sorry I didn't answer your texts," Iruka said, taking a seat. "But maybe I'm glad. You seemed to figure out dinner well enough on your own. It looks delicious."

"I _almost_ pulled out the leftovers," Kakashi teased, squeezing a wedge of lemon over his asparagus. "How'd it go today?"

"Great. Isla executed everything perfectly."

"I can't wait to see it tomorrow."

Even though Iruka's new show had opened two weeks ago, Kakashi had yet to see it. Work had always gotten in the way. In fact, he specifically requested tomorrow off, solely for this reason. It was also why he was allowing himself to go out tonight, since he didn't have to wake up early in the morning.

"I'm going to be nervous, knowing you're there," Iruka said.

Kakashi laughed.

"You won't even be able to see me, among all the other people."

"Not true. I'd notice you anywhere."

Kakashi smiled at his husband.

"I'm assuming you're not coming tonight?" he asked, knowing the answer. Iruka had given him a non-committal 'we'll see' the night before, but Kakashi knew that usually meant no.

Iruka sighed.

"As much as I'd love to, I don't think I should. If I didn't have to work the overnight camp tomorrow, then maybe I'd consider it. It's going to be a long two days. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I understand. Rin will be disappointed though, I'm sure."

Iruka smiled at that.

"You'll be okay by yourself?" Iruka teased.

"I think I can handle it. I'm a big boy."

"Oh, do I know it," Iruka flirted.

Kakashi laughed.

"Pervert," he said, before taking a swig of his beer.

—

Kakashi walked into his bedroom in a towel, having just gotten out of the shower. He changed into a pair of black skinny jeans, and a light grey, crew neck, long-sleeve shirt. He pushed the sleeves up to the middle of his forearms, revealing sections of his tattoos. Both arms were covered in ink from shoulder to wrist. Not even the top of his right hand had escaped the needle.

He found Iruka curled up on the couch, nestled beneath a blanket. It was the end of August, but the temperatures had already started to drop.

"What are you going to do tonight? Fall asleep watching _Blue Planet_?" Kakashi teased.

Iruka blushed. That's exactly what he planned on doing.

"Maybe. I was going to continue _Fullmetal Alchemist_, but I don't want to watch it without you."

"Watch it if you want, babe. I can always catch up on my own."

"Nah, it's better with you."

Kakashi leaned down to kiss him.

"I'll be home late."

Iruka yawned.

"I know. Thanks for dinner."

Kakashi swiped a finger down his nose.

"Sure," he said, before grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

—-

Kakashi was sitting at the bar, having arrived at the break between the opening band and Rin's.

A man sat down on the stool to his right. Kakashi felt his eyes glance at him before leaning into the bartender to order something to drink. When his drink arrived, he turned to Kakashi, sliding him another beer. His was almost empty.

"So is this band any good? I've never seen them before."

"I think so. But I might be biased. My sister's the drummer."

"Oh? Well, I've heard good things. I came to see if they were true."

Kakashi grabbed the second beer, lifting it towards the stranger in thanks.

"This might sound weird, but do you box?"

Kakashi turned to him in surprise, wondering what gave him away. Kakashi was built, but not overtly muscular, like most boxers, not that that had anything to do with his skill.

"I swear I've seen you at the Academy. In fact, I know I have."

Kakashi looked at him fully for the first time. He was wearing a pair of tight plaid pants tucked into black combat boots, a plain white t-shirt, and a black beanie. He was olive-skinned and rather attractive, but he didn't recognize his face. He gave him an apologetic look.

"It's fine," the stranger chuckled. "I wouldn't expect you to remember me. It was in passing. You have some pretty recognizable features."

"Ah," Kakashi said, pointing lazily to his scar.

The stranger laughed.

"I was talking about your tattoos. But yeah, I guess there's that too. So you do box, then?"

"I do. MMA."

"I started teaching classes at the Academy two weeks ago."

Kakashi let his eyes rove over the man, sizing him up unintentionally.

"You think you could take me?" the stranger teased.

Kakashi smirked at being caught, and shrugged his shoulders, taking a swig of his beer.

"I'd say we're equally matched."

This time Kakashi laughed. _Please_.

"I doubt it."

"Well, aren't you a cocky bastard," the stranger said, giving the leg of Kakashi's stool a light kick.

"I like to call it confidence."

"Oh is that what that is? Well, I have it, too. I think I could take you."

Kakashi opened up his posture, amused.

"That's highly presumptuous of you," he said.

"Maybe it is. But maybe it isn't," the stranger flirted, twirling his finger around the neck of his beer. He leaned towards Kakashi. "You… wouldn't happen to know of any gay bars around here, would you? I just moved here and I don't know the city well."

"Do I look like I'd know?" Kakashi asked, fully aware this guy was only asking in order to find out whether or not Kakashi himself was gay.

"Am I being too presumptuous again?"

Kakashi let out a soft laugh.

"I'm sure you're aware of Boystown in Lakeview. You can pop into any bar over there and the chances of it being gay are very high."

This vague answer didn't seem to satisfy the stranger.

"You don't have a favorite?"

"I don't really frequent them. My sister might know more than me."

The stranger bit his lip, not sure how to rephrase the question a third time. Kakashi was enjoying stringing him along. He wasn't usually this conversational, but for some reason, he decided to indulge the man.

"But…" he said, giving up the game, "_Sidetrack_ has a nice rooftop deck. _Big Chicks_ has great food. _Progress_ has the best craft beer selection. And, if you like drag or dancing, I'd try _Berlin_. It all depends on what you're looking for."

The stranger eyed him, as if Kakashi was exactly what he was looking for.

"Duly noted. How _did_ you get that scar, by the way?"

Kakashi furrowed his brow, slightly annoyed.

"Tch. What's your name?"

"Gai."

"That's personal, Gai. Don't you think?"

"Is this not the place to get personal? Maybe if you join me at one of those gay bars later? I wouldn't want you to miss your sister's show."

"How generous of you. But…" Kakashi flashed his wedding band at him.

"Ah, married." Gai said, clearly disappointed.

"To a man," Kakashi clarified, in case his knowledge of gay bars wasn't satisfactory enough. God help him if he was pegged as straight. He cringed at the thought.

Gai looked at him, surprised.

"What? Surprised that I'd conform to such a heteronormative tradition?"

Gai laughed.

"No, it's not that. I haven't met many out, MMA fighters, besides myself. It's still a pretty straight sport."

"Then you were surprised I'm married to a man? Didn't you just ask me out to a gay bar?"

"Well, yeah. But I didn't know _how_ gay you were. You never know these days. People are more open to new experiences. That could have been what you were looking for. A new experience," Gai said, raising an eyebrow at him, before taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm married-to-a-man gay. I don't know where that falls on your scale."

"I'd say pretty fucking gay," Gai laughed. "Whats your name? Since you know mine."

"Kakashi."

Gai laughed heartily, _again_. Jesus, what was with this guy? He laughed at everything.

"And that's funny to you…why?"

"You've made quite a name for yourself at the Academy."

"Have I?" Kakashi asked, intrigued.

"If you've never lost a fight, people are going to talk. Your name sits on the upmost bracket on the wall. Everyone pines after that spot. It's like the Holy Grail," Gai said, flashing him a toothy smile.

Kakashi grinned.

"Still think you could take me?"

"I'd like to try."

"I bet you would," Kakashi said, not intending for it to sound as flirtatious as it did. But hey, this man was cute, and it was rather harmless.

The band started to soundcheck in the background.

"Well Gai, thanks for the beer. And the conversation. I'm going to get closer to the stage. My sister won't believe I came unless she sees me." He downed the remainder of his beer, setting it down on the bar with a clack.

"Could I get your number before you go?"

Kakashi glared at him slightly.

"I'm married, remember."

"But you were flirting."

"Casual flirting is where it stops for me."

"What if it stopped there for me, too? I could use a friend. Having just moved here and all."

Kakashi laughed and stood up.

"I don't think so. Besides, I'm sure we're bound to run into each other at the Academy again." Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "And then I'll kick your sorry ass."

"I'm looking forward to having a rival!" Gai yelled at his back, taking the moment to check him out as he walked away.

—-

By the time Kakashi got home, it was well past midnight. He climbed the stairs to find Iruka asleep on the couch. Pakkun jumping down from his side, caused him to stir.

"How was your night?" Iruka asked, sitting up to rub his eyes.

"It was good," Kakashi said, plopping into the couch. "Rin's band played some new songs. They sounded really good. She's excited about them. They're talking about recording another EP."

Pakkun jumped into Kakashi's lap and curled up.

"That's great. I hope I can make it to the next show."

"Yeah, you'll like them," Kakashi said, rubbing the tip of Pakkun's ear between his fingers. "I was hit on."

"You always get hit on when I'm not around."

"That's not true," Kakashi said.

Iruka shot him a look.

"Ok," Kakashi laughed. "Maybe it does happen a lot."

"Who was it this time? Another straight girl?"

"Nope. A guy named… Gai. He recognized me from the Academy."

"Oh, a superfan, huh?" Iruka teased. It wouldn't be the first time _that_ happened. Kakashi's gloves had a small pride flag sewn into them.

"Hah, _no_. He just started teaching there. I guess he saw me leave one day, after training or something."

"Hmm," Iruka said playfully, tightening the messy bun on top of his head.

"He seemed eager to fight me."

Iruka rolled his eyes.

"Of course he is. Who wouldn't want to be close to your hard, flexing, sweaty body?" he said, scooting over to slip a hand beneath Kakashi's shirt, brushing his fingers across his abdomen.

Kakashi laughed.

"The only body I want pressed up against me is yours," he said, before enveloping him in a kiss. "Right this second, in fact."

Kakashi shoved Pakkun off his lap to go and straddle his husband. He pushed him back against the couch, deepening the kiss. Iruka slid his hands over Kakashi's hips and then around to his ass, giving it a hard squeeze, before pulling him down and rocking his own hips up.

"Mmph," Kakashi moaned into his mouth, before tugging on his lower lip with his teeth.

Iruka brought his hand up to Kakashi's hair, winding his fingers in it, as he pushed his tongue deeper into his mouth. Kakashi broke free from his lips to kiss down his neck, only to drag his tongue back up to his ear, nipping at the lobe.

"Let's go to bed," Iruka whispered.

Kakashi gave him another kiss, before hopping up off the couch, causing some loose change to rattle in his pocket. He held out his hand to Iruka, who took it, and followed him into the bedroom.

"How do you want me?" Iruka asked, kneeling on the bed to reach towards their nightstand.

Kakashi stopped him before he opened the drawer, pulling him flat onto his back.

"In my mouth," he said, while crawling on top of him. He pulled out the band around Iruka's hair, causing it to pool around his head on the pillow.

"Oh?" Iruka replied, raising an eyebrow and lifting Kakashi's shirt up over his head. He wrapped his hand around his hair, pulling it over one shoulder.

"Mhmm," Kakashi said, attacking the exposed side of his neck with a series of wet kisses. He slipped a hand beneath Iruka's sweatpants to stroke him. "I was fantasizing about tasting you the whole drive home."

Iruka's breath hitched at the thought.

Since Iruka was already sufficiently hard, Kakashi removed his hand to yank his sweatpants off. He lowered himself to Iruka's hips and gave him a smoldering look before running his tongue slowly up his length, circling the tip, causing Iruka to shudder. Kakashi raised his eyes to meet his, flashing him a smirk, before taking him in his mouth.

Iruka pushed his weight back into the bed, as Kakashi's hand snaked up beneath his shirt, rubbing his palm flat against his nipple, and giving it a pinch.

"_Mmm_," Kakashi groaned around his dick, fully enjoying every second of pleasuring him.

Iruka let his eyes rove over his husband's gorgeous muscled back, coming to rest at the dimples above his waistline. The barest hint of his crack was exposed, but it was enough to push Iruka closer to the edge. He closed his eyes and tilted his head towards the pillow.

"_a-ah_," he moaned, collecting the comforter in his fists.

Kakashi brought his hands to grip and massage his thighs, before grazing his fingers across his balls. When he teased his hole with his thumb, Iruka was done for.

He clutched Kakashi's hair in his hands, arching his body forward in release.

"_K-ka-shii_," Iruka moaned, as his orgasm rocketed out of him and into his partner's mouth.

He felt Kakashi swallow twice before releasing him, swiping his tongue over his slit to clean him off on his way up. He propped himself up on an elbow beside Iruka, wiping the corner of his mouth.

"Is that how you envisioned it?" Iruka teased, grazing a thumb against Kakashi's bare chest.

"Nope. Better."

Iruka rubbed a hand against Kakashi's black jeans, feeling his erection.

"I'm perfectly content stopping here. I know you didn't want to stay up late tonight."

Iruka looked into his eyes for a moment, contemplating that. It's true; he did have to be up in a few hours.

"God, you're so sexy," Kakashi crooned, pushing Iruka's hair behind his ear. "How did I manage to capture such a fucking fox of a husband?"

If there was more light in the room, Kakashi would have seen Iruka blush. After 6 years of being together, he still got shy when Kakashi complimented him so strongly like that. Besides, _capturing_ implied there was some sort of resistance on his part, and there definitely hadn't been. He was wildly attracted to Kakashi the first time he had ever laid eyes on him. Iruka wondered if all couples felt this; this electric, hot, _lightening_, or if it was something unique to them. He felt it every time Kakashi touched him.

Iruka rubbed his foot up Kakashi's calf and gave his cock a squeeze. _Fuck it_. He'd already gotten several hours of sleep on the couch anyway. He pushed Kakashi back against the bed, unbuckling his belt.

Yeah, no. Like _hell _he was going to let Kakashi go to sleep with a hard on.

He leaned over him to retrieve the lube.

He was going to ride Kakashi into oblivion.


	2. Chapter 2

**02**

Iruka rolled over in bed to slap his alarm clock quiet, before groaning into the pillow.

4:45 am.

It _felt_ like 4:45 am. He had stayed up past two, fucking Kakashi, who was apparently so passed out, the alarm didn't reach him.

_Lucky bastard_, he thought, getting out of bed, fully enjoying a view of Kakashi in his boxer briefs. The backside of his body was outside the blanket, with his leg curled around it. Iruka wanted to slip in behind him and rub against him. Wanted to rake his nails down the brightly colored arm that contrasted so starkly against the white of their comforter. His gaze went back to his ass.

_Damn his perfect ass_, he cursed, finding it harder and harder to fight the urge. He peeled his eyes away and reluctantly walked into the kitchen to start his coffee.

—

Kakashi didn't wake until 10.

_Shit._

He only had an hour before he had to leave for Iruka's show at 1. Traffic into the city would be a little heavier than usual, since it was the weekend and the weather was still nice.

He sat up in bed, stretched his arms over his head, and glanced at the indentations Iruka had left in the mattress. He smirked to himself, remembering last night. Whoever said sex got boring after you're married, was clearly wrong, at least in their case. Their sex life was still as hot as it ever was, if not _more_ so.

Kakashi's cock twitched, thinking about seeing Iruka in a wetsuit today. It was one of his secret kinks. The way that material hugged his husband's body was just _so._ _delicious_. He had the body of a swimmer; his pectoral muscles and quadriceps really popped in that suit. Not to mention his ass. And his dick. And well, _everything_ really. Kakashi licked his lips and wondered if he could ever convince Iruka to bring one of those suits home.

He got out of bed, slipped into a pair of track pants and a hoodie, and went into the hallway, grabbing Pakkun's leash.

"It's going to be a short one today, Pak," he said, clipping it to his collar.

When Kakashi got back, he changed his clothes, washed his face, and headed into the kitchen to open the freezer. He didn't have time to cook anything, so he grabbed one of the pre-portioned bags of fruit that Iruka had meticulously measured for the perfect smoothie. Iruka was the Queen of meal prep, and right now Kakashi was very grateful (even though he sometimes poked fun at him for it).

He threw it all into the blender with some coconut cream, almond butter, and a scoop of oats, chia, and flax (also pre-mixed). He quickly poured it into a mason jar, pulled on his shoes and coat, and headed out the door.

—

By the time he got to the aquarium, it was five minutes to show time. Considering Kakashi was late for almost everything, he was proud of himself. Now, if only he could _get_ to his seat before it started, that'd really be something.

That is, if he could even find a seat to begin with.

The bleachers were packed. Kakashi had passed a poster on the way in, announcing that the show was sold out and the next one wouldn't be until four. He weaved his way through the crowd, eventually finding a spot left of the middle, a couple rows from the back. He regretted not leaving earlier, in order to have ample time to snag a good seat. Oh well, the auditorium wasn't _that_ big, so he could still see fine. By the time he pulled off his jacket, Iruka and three other people, had stepped out onto the stage.

—-

Kakashi knew that at the end of each show, a trainer came out into the bleachers to answer any questions the audience might have. They rotated every show, so Kakashi was delighted to see his husband take up the post in front of the glass tank, near the first row of bleachers.

Kakashi reached into his pocket to pull out his phone and snap a picture, before Iruka found out where he was. He posted it to his instagram with a caption that read,

_when you're still crushin' hard on your husband, -heart eye emoji-._

"Good afternoon, everyone! Buenas tardes a todos. Bienvenidos," Iruka began, talking into his headset. "Thank you for coming to see the show today. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. Does anyone have a question they're burning to ask? Now's your chance!"

Kakashi thought, _yeah, how flexible are those suits and does the zipper go down far enough for me to fuck you in the ass?_ But he decided that might be a little inappropriate. Definitely not family-friendly.

Several hands shots into the air.

"Go ahead," Iruka said, pointing at a young black boy.

"Do dolphins ever sleep?"

"Thats a great question. In order to answer it, I think we first need to understand what happens when humans sleep. When we sleep, our blood pressure and breathing rate drops, and our eyes close. Our muscle activity reduces, as well as our consciousness. Dolphins are different. Because dolphins breathe air, they would drown if they slept or rested too long underwater. So, they rest near the surface, with their blowhole exposed, in order to breathe. Their breathing rate slows down a little, but still appears to be voluntary, pointing to a more wakeful level of consciousness. Put simply, dolphins rest or 'sleep' for short periods of time, but not in the same way we do."

He pointed to a teenage girl next.

"Are you ever afraid to get in the water with them? Could they ever hurt you?"

"Never. Dolphins, especially the pacific-white sided dolphins that you saw today, are very friendly and curious by nature. There has never been a case of a dolphin hurting someone intentionally. However, accidents can happen, and we do everything we can to ensure we avoid them. For example, we don't rub their tongues like we do with the beluga, because the dolphins have many pairs of sharp teeth lining their mouth."

The next question was asked by a blonde headed girl who looked to be in her early 20's.

"How do you become a trainer? Do you have to go to college?"

This question got asked after every show without fail.

"There are several paths you can take to end up here. My best advice is to get involved with animals any way you can. Volunteer or intern at the aquarium or any other animal care facility. A college degree isn't always required, but it does help to have a background in zoology, marine biology, or animal behavior. Also, take swim lessons! You need to be an excellent swimmer to work with marine mammals. Almost all jobs in the field require you to be SCUBA certified."

Kakashi raised his hand, causing Iruka's eyes to rove in his direction, seeing him for the first time. He fought a smile, hesitating for a split second, before giving him permission to speak.

"Is there an advantage to wearing such a tight suit?" Kakashi asked, innocently.

_You asshole_, Iruka thought, trying to tame the heat in his cheeks before it broke into a full out blush.

"Um," he swallowed, collecting himself, "actually, it mimics the body of a dolphin. Like all cetaceans, dolphins have smooth bodies, enabling them to propel through the water with ease. It helps them swim more efficiently. Cetaceans need to achieve what is called 'laminar flow' of water over their skin, if they are to swim at high speeds. A suit like this allows for easy, fast swimming, too. It also insulates against the cold water. It's only fifty-five degrees in there," Iruka said, pointing at the tank, "which doesn't seem cold for those of us who live in Chicago, but swimming in it is entirely different."

_I refuse to let you fluster me_, Iruka thought, before moving his eyes from Kakashi's smug smile.

After a few more questions, the time was up, and Iruka shot Kakashi one last look, who winked at him in return, before disappearing behind a door.

—

When Kakashi got out of the bathroom, he had a text from Iruka.

_How dare you tempt me in public _

Kakashi scoffed.

_Pft. Please. That was nothing. How dare YOU tempt me in public_. _You don't know what its like to see you decked out in a slick, wet, bodysuit. Pure. Fucking. Torture._

Iruka sent an embarrassed emoji, followed by,

_Sorry I couldn't see you off. I'll call you later tonight, gotta go. Love you._

Kakashi sent a heart in reply, before pocketing his phone.

—

Iruka's work day had finally come to end, allowing him an hour break to grab some dinner before the guests for the overnight event arrived. Tonight was a bit different. One of their major donors had bought tickets for all the kids at one of the local orphanages. There would be 12 kids coming in total.

"Iruka," a voice cracked over the radio. "Your food is here."

He removed it from his waist, and brought it to his mouth, holding down the button on the side.

"Thanks Julie, I'm on my way."

He had ordered Indian take-out, deciding to eat it outside on the aquarium's steps for some fresh air. It was after hours, so no one would be climbing them anyway. Not until the bus of kids arrived.

Half-way through his chicken masala, he saw Kisame walking up the steps.

"You look like you're ready for a nap," he said, stopping in front of him.

"I feel like it. It's been a long day."

"Oh shit, thats right. You had to work today, too."

Iruka sighed.

"Yeah, I hope the kids aren't too rowdy tonight," he said, looking up at Kisame's towering figure.

"When have they not been?" Kisame laughed. "But don't worry, I'll wrangle them for you."

Iruka smiled. In truth, he didn't mind, he was just _really_ tired. He liked the excitement that filled the kids. The wonder and amazement. Plus, he figured this would be a real treat for kids who may not have much to be excited about. The thought energized him. He stood up.

"We should probably start setting up, huh?"

"Probably," Kisame said.

They went inside together.

—

Tonight the kids were sleeping beneath the "Wild Reef" exhibit, which featured corals, rays, and sharks of the Philippines. Iruka was glad; since Kisame was the resident shark specialist, this was his territory, and Iruka could more or less stay in the background.

The kids arrived, at first in a hushed silence, as they walked through the tunnel. It struck Iruka that this might be the first time many of them had ever even been to an aquarium. It _was_ impressive, to be surrounded by the exhibit on all sides, even below your feet. A small girl shrieked, as one of the sharks passed by overhead.

"It can't hurt you! Look!" a little blonde boy shouted, sticking his hand against the glass.

"Heh!" He smiled widely. "See! It's not scary."

But when the shark circled around and passed an inch from his palm, the boy fell back in surprise, causing Iruka to laugh.

"That's a sandbar shark," Kisame said. "They're one of our obligate ram ventilators, which simply means they have to keep swimming to push oxygen-carrying water over their gills so they can breathe. The other ORV, is our blacktip sharks, who are pretty easy to identify, because their dorsal fin, the one on their back, looks like it's been dipped in black paint."

He pointed to one that was swimming higher in the tank.

"Oh, I see one!" one of the kids squealed.

"It does look like paint!" another giggled.

"But don't worry, you're perfectly safe," Kisame said, ruffling the blonde kid's hair, who swatted him away. He had a pout on his face that Iruka found oddly adorable.

"You're separated by about 8 inches of plexiglass. It may not seem like a lot but it has twice the tensile strength of regular glass. But don't go trying to test it's strength," Kisame warned them. "So, who wants to touch one?!"

Kisame walked over to a low make-shift pool. The real touch tank was in a different part of the aquarium, but they constructed a miniature one here, in order to avoid the kids walking through the facility at night.

"A shark?!" a red-headed, freckled face girl asked.

"Yep! We've got three different kinds in our touch pool. There's white-spotted bamboo sharks, marbled sharks, and epaulette sharks. All of them belong to the catshark family, which are a bottom-dwelling species. See those whiskers or barbels on their mouths?" he asked, pointing at one. "They help them locate food that may be buried."

"Cool!" one of the boys shouted.

Iruka walked slowly around the children, (as he heard one of them ask Kisame if you could keep sharks as a pet), making sure none of them tried to grab one out of the water or handled them too harshly.

The blonde-haired boy from before kept sticking his hand in the water, but jerking it back in reflex whenever one of the sharks got close.

"Do you want me to help you?" Iruka asked, crouching down behind him. "I can hold your hand in place. They won't bite, I promise."

The boy didn't say anything. He had a conflicted look on his face, which told Iruka he really wanted to touch the shark, but didn't want to admit he needed help either.

"What's your name?" Iruka asked, not being able to see his name tag from behind.

"Naruto," the boy answered, shyly.

"Ok, Naruto. I'm Iruka. Let me see your hand."

Naruto held out his hand and Iruka placed his on top.

"I'm going to put it in the water, ready?"

The boy nodded.

Iruka submerged their hands. A shark was on it's way to them.

"Steady now. It's okay," Iruka said softly.

When the shark was below their hands, he felt Naruto pull back, but he anchored their hands there, allowing Naruto's fingers to graze the shark's skin. When Naruto's face lit up, Iruka felt a similar sensation in his heart.

"I did it!" Naruto shouted, before disconnecting their hands and running to another section of the pool, to touch every shark he could.

Iruka remained crouching there for a moment, contemplating what had just happened.

He watched Naruto, full of confidence now, chatting up anyone who would listen. He marveled as Naruto offered to hold _other_ kid's hands in the same way.

Something stirred inside Iruka. Something warm and bright. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

—

After several aquatic crafts and a scavenger hunt later, the kids had been put to bed in their sleeping bags, on top of large padded mats.

Iruka stole away for a moment to call Kakashi.

"Yo," Kakashi answered.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Mmm.. playing Final Fantasy. I called Itachi to hang out but he was too busy working on his grad research."

"Ah, yeah. Kisame said he was holed up in his room when he left."

"Figures. How's your night going?"

"Good. We just put the kids to bed. It's been relatively easy."

"I'm glad. You sound tired."

"I am. I can't wait to crash. What did you think of the show?" Iruka asked. He'd been dying to know.

"It was fantastic, Iru. You were amazing. I love the new direction, all the educational videos and talk about conservation. It's a lot different. And…" He paused. "I can't stop thinking about you in that fucking wetsuit."

Iruka laughed.

"You're still on about that?"

"I'm_ very_ on about that. I'll have to do something about it before I go to bed."

Iruka felt his body heat up at the thought of Kakashi pleasuring himself.

"No me dejas eso, Kakashi. Maybe you should just take care of it right now."

_(Don't tell me that, Kakashi)_.

"While we're on the phone?"

Iruka bit his lip.

"Si."

"That's a little risky, don't you think?" Kakashi asked, even though he had already slipped his hand into his pants the moment Iruka suggested it.

"Callate. Cuentame."

_(Shh. Talk to me.)_

"About what?"

But Iruka didn't respond, not wanting to get caught talking dirty.

"About what I'd do to you in that suit?"

"Si."

"Well, I've been wondering if it would unzip far enough for me to fuck you from behind. I wanted to ask that question, during your little session, but figured I'd keep it PG."

Kakashi let out a breathy groan. It sent a shiver down Iruka's spine.

"Que más?"

(_What else?_)

"I'd run my hands over every inch of you. Tease your cock through the fabric with my mouth. _Mmph_." Kakashi moaned. "I'd love to see your erection in that thing. It'd be so fucking sexy."

Speaking of erections, Iruka was fighting hard to keep from forming one himself.

"Iruka," one of the volunteers called, causing him to spin around and clutch his phone to his chest, as if she'd be able to hear what was going on.

"Y-yes?" he cleared his throat.

"Are we allowed to give the kids juice or snacks this late? One of them is asking for some."

"Oh, uh, I think it's fine."

"Ok, sorry to bother you."

_You should be, _Iruka thought, before bringing the phone back to his ear.

"Don't tell me you finished."

Kakashi chuckled softly. It was deep and sexy and _dammit_ did Iruka want to be there right now, watching this.

"As if I'd do that to you."

"Good. Termina pero don't be quiet about it."

(_ Finish, but don't be quiet about i_t.)

Kakashi quit talking and focused on making other sounds, sounds that hummed so fucking sweetly against his ear. When he heard Kakashi come, Iruka gripped the railing in front of him tightly with his free hand, afraid he might cry out himself.

"Loud enough for you?"

"_Ay papi_," Iruka whispered, feeling an ache all over his body. "El mejor." (_The best._)

Kakashi laughed.

"Well, I guess this is goodnight."

"Hm. Yeah. I should probably go," Iruka said, even though that was the last thing he wanted to do. He sighed.

"Te quiero."

"I love you, too."

"Ciao."

Iruka hung up.

—

On the way back to his air mattress, Iruka spotted one of the kids sitting next to the aquarium glass, with a blanket draped around their head. When he got closer, he saw it was Naruto, the subtle blue light illuminating his face. He was sucking on the straw of a juice box.

"Can't sleep, Naruto?" Iruka asked, kneeling down beside him.

The boy shook his head.

They sat in silence for a moment, as they both watched a stingray swim by.

"Can I live here?" Naruto asked, all of a sudden.

Iruka let out a small laugh.

"I remember wishing that too, when I was your age. But in reality, it wouldn't be a very nice place to live. The fish have everything they need in that tank, but you wouldn't have everything you need out here."

"That's okay. I still like it. It's better than any of the places I've lived," Naruto said innocently, looking into Iruka's face for the first time.

Iruka was struck by his bright_ blue_ eyes. It wasn't the aquarium glow, after all. He felt his heart break all over. He had forgotten, for a second, that all of these kids were orphans.

"Have you lived many places Naruto?"

Naruto nodded his head, chewing on the straw.

"Everyone always gives me back."

He said it neutral enough, but his face revealed something else. Iruka watched the pain etch itself into Naruto's features. Tears stung at his eyes, imaging this little boy being passed from house to house. He had a strange desire to cradle Naruto in his arms, to smooth his hair over his forehead. For a split second, he wished he could take him home. Make him a cup of something warm and comforting. His heart stopped.

He could take him home. If_…if he adopted him_.

A million emotions raced through him at once. He and Kakashi had talked about children before, but they never came to a concrete answer that would propel them forward into action. However, it wasn't something they ruled out either. Both of them were open to it.

Iruka's stomach turned to knots.

_Relax_, he thought. _It's not like it would happen right this second_.

He was sure it would be a long process with a lot of paperwork.

Besides, it's not like he could just surprise Kakashi with him, like he did with Pakkun two years ago. Naruto wasn't a puppy. He'd need to thoroughly discuss it with him first.

Iruka sighed. He was _exhausted_. His whole body was begging him for sleep. He knew he should make sure Naruto was situated in his sleeping bag before retiring to bed himself, but he couldn't bring himself to pull the boy away from the glass.

"I'm going to go lay down, Naruto. Right over there," Iruka pointed at his mattress. "Come get me if you need anything."

The boy didn't respond, his eyes glued to the glass, flicking back and forth with the movement of the fish.

Iruka got up and reached out to touch Naruto's head, but let his hand fall away, feeling shy.

He climbed onto his mattress and gave Naruto one last look, before closing his eyes.

—

Iruka awoke the next morning to Kisame shaking his shoulder.

"Hey, buddy," he said, "You've out-slept the kids."

Iruka blinked open his eyes, seeing movement all around him.

"S-sorry," he croaked out.

"No problem," Kisame laughed, "but we should take them to breakfast soon," he said, before a kid pulled him away by the hand, asking if he could touch a shark again.

Iruka sat up and pulled his hair out of it's loose bun, messy from sleep. After running his fingers through it, he tossed it back up again. He glanced at the spot near the glass, the spot Naruto had occupied the night before. He was no longer there, but the blanket still was. Iruka wondered if he had fallen asleep there, or if he had even managed to sleep at all.

—

After they had all eaten a warm breakfast in the food court, Iruka supervised the kids while they brushed their teeth in the bathroom. Naruto was still at it, toothpaste dripping onto his shirt that was embellished with the face of a frog. He was the last one in the bathroom. Iruka could feel the sadness radiating off him.

"Don't worry, Naruto. I'll make sure you can come back here," he said, looking at him in the mirror.

Iruka didn't know what in the _hell_ he was doing, promising that to him. It just kind of spilled out. He decided to go with it.

"You like frogs, huh? Maybe I can show you our amphibians next time. And even have you meet my friend Isla. She's a dolphin."

Naruto spun around, pulling the toothbrush out of his mouth.

"You pr-m-se?" he asked, through foamy lips, prompting more toothpaste to slip out off his mouth and onto his chin.

Iruka grabbed a paper towel and wiped it off.

"I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

**03.**

When Iruka arrived home early Sunday afternoon, Kakashi wasn't there.

"Where's Kashi, huh?" he asked, picking up Pakkun to rub him down. The dog licked his face in reply.

After taking a hot shower, Iruka collapsed into the couch, and turned on the TV to hook up Spotify. He opened the drawer to the coffee table and pulled out a small glass pipe, a bud of a weed, and a grinder. He clicked on Devandra Banhart, before packing his bowl.

He took a large hit and leaned his head back against the ledge of the couch, blowing the smoke straight up into the air. He propped his feet on the coffee table and stared at the ceiling.

_Really? A child, Iruka? _

He didn't ask how old Naruto was, but if he had to guess, it'd be around 7? Maybe. He was terrible at discerning kid's ages. Definitely younger than 10, though. He knew that for sure.

What if Kakashi didn't like Naruto? Or didn't see the same things he did?

What if Kakashi would rather have an infant? For bonding purposes, or something. Would _he_ rather have an infant?

He contemplated that, pulling on his pipe again.

No matter what way he thought about it, he couldn't deny it. There was something about Naruto that tugged at his heart. He felt it the moment he helped him touch the shark. This desire to… to… _nurture_.

Iruka heaved a deep sigh. He was nervous to talk to his husband. Not because he was afraid of resistance, but because he thought Kakashi would most likely say yes. A wave of terror washed over him.

What did he know about being a dad? How do you even go about _being_ someone's dad, who hasn't had one for the first part of his life? He couldn't just show up and expect Naruto to accept him, even though their first encounter had been positive.

_Dad._

_Ew, _he laughed to himself_._

He didn't like the way that sounded. It was too… suburban American. He'd have to use something else.

—

Kakashi dropped his gym bag on the floor at the top of the stairs, and went into the kitchen to find Iruka making a sandwich.

"Hey," he said, wrapping his arm's around Iruka from behind.

This was Iruka's favorite thing. He loved seeing his husband's tattooed arms around him. There was something about it that turned him on. He remembered how one of those arms was reaching into Kakashi's own pants last night. The thought sat hot in his groin. He pressed back against him.

"Hi," he said, tilting his head back into Kakashi's shoulder, who showered a series of kisses onto his jaw.

"Smells like weed in here. Did your weekend take a stressful turn?"

Iruka laughed at that. _Kind of?_ But not in the way Kakashi meant.

"Not particularly. I just felt like smoking."

"Mmm," Kakashi said, placing a kiss to his neck before releasing him and heading into the other room.

Iruka heard the click of the lighter, as Kakashi took his own hit.

"Are you hungry?" Iruka asked, poking his head around the doorframe. The smoke still hung in the air, catching the afternoon light. "Do you want me to make you a sandwich?"

"Yeah, that sounds great," Kakashi choked out.

Kakashi came back into the kitchen just as Iruka was placing the second plate on the table. He grabbed him by the arm before he could sit down, and began to dance. "Carmencita" by Devenda Banhart was coming out of the speakers.

"You know the next 'After Hours' event at the Shedd is a salsa night," Iruka said, moving his hips in front of him. "We should go."

Kakashi laughed.

"I'd look like an idiot next to you."

"You've got rhythm, baby," Iruka said, giving his ass a squeeze. "You're a great dancer. I've told you that a million times."

"Regular dancing and salsa dancing are totally different," Kakashi said, as Iruka turned to give him his back. "_One_ of us didn't grow up in a Latino household," he said into his ear, before biting down on the lobe.

"You hadn't even heard salsa music before I played it for you," Iruka laughed, in remembrance.

"It's not really that popular with the Japanese," Kakashi teased.

"Or punks," Iruka retorted, turning around to wiggle his eyebrows at him.

Kakashi gave him a playful shove.

"Yeah, yeah. I was a music snob, I know."

Iruka took his place at the table. Kakashi followed suit.

Iruka took a bite of his sandwich, wondering how to start this conversation. He pulled a leg up onto his chair and decided to just dive right in.

"What do you think about adopting a child?" Iruka asked, between bites.

Kakashi leaned back in his chair, looking at him in surprise.

"Just how high are you?" he teased, pointing half of his sandwich at him.

"I'm serious," Iruka laughed. "I'd love to raise a child with you. It's not the weed talking."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at him in suspicion.

"Spill it."

Kakashi knew him too well. Something had prompted Iruka to bring this up.

Iruka took a deep breath.

"Remember how I said one of our donors had purchased tickets for the kids at that orphanage in Oak Park? Well, I… I met a little boy who just… captured my heart. It was so weird. I don't know. He puts out this air of confidence, and he's out going and chatty, but underneath I think he's… he's really… tender?" Iruka said, having a hard time finding the right word.

"We shared a few moments and at one point, he asked me if he could live at the aquarium, because it was better than any house he had been placed in. I was a goner after that."

Kakashi looked at his husband with love and appreciation. Iruka had the biggest heart out of anyone he'd ever met. It was one of the things he loved about him.

"I think it'd be a perfect time. We're both going to be 30 this year. We have steady jobs and a nice cushion in our savings," Iruka rattled out, nervously.

"What's his name?"

"Naruto."

"That's Japanese."

"I know. But he has blonde hair and blue eyes."

"Hm," was all Kakashi said.

There was a long pause. Iruka looked at him, imploringly, even though Kakashi seemed to be examining the black and white tiles on the kitchen floor.

"Well," Kakashi said, meeting his eyes, after what felt like eternity. "I'd have to meet him first."

Iruka sprang up from the table and smashed his lips against his.

—

Iruka was scrambling about their apartment. The car keys he had just picked up from the basket on top of their table in the hall, slipped from his fingers. It had taken over a week of coordinating with the orphanage, before they finally granted him permission to take Naruto out for a few hours.

It was a Tuesday, Iruka's day off. After stress-cleaning the entire apartment all day, it was time for him to leave. He was to pick up Naruto at the orphanage. Kakashi would meet them at the aquarium, coming straight from work.

He took a deep breath, checked himself in the hall mirror once more, picked up his keys from the floor, and jogged down the stairs.

Iruka was going to fulfill his promise.

—

After filling out the release forms, Iruka down sat in a chair, anxiously shaking his leg, while he waited for Naruto. When he appeared, Naruto was wearing the same frog shirt that he had seen him in last time, underneath an open hoodie. The little blonde haired boy looked at him apprehensively. Neither him nor Iruka, seemed to know how to act. At least they were on the same page.

"Naruto," Iruka began, "You ready to see some more animals?"

A small smile crept across the boy's face. He nodded.

"Ok, let's go."

—

Iruka slipped a lanyard over Naruto's head.

"Keep this on. It's a special pass that'll get you into places regular people can't go."

Naruto beamed at him.

"I'm not a regular person!" he cried.

"Nope. Not today."

"Not any day," Naruto corrected him.

Iruka laughed. He'd been worried about the car ride over here, but soon found out that there was nothing to worry about. Naruto chatted his ear off, talking about anything and everything.

He saw Kakashi walk in through the glass doors, still in his work attire. He had been working at the office today, but at least he removed the tie, making it more casual.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, when he approached them.

Iruka smiled at him. In truth, he was dreading this moment. If they could get over this, the rest would be easy. He had decided, along with Kakashi, to tell Naruto straight away. There really wasn't any other choice, as far as they were concerned. They were both out, and had been, for most of their lives. Skipping around it felt like it would imply to Naruto that it wasn't natural. No man would hesitate about introducing his wife, so they weren't going to be any different.

"Naruto, this is my husband, Kakashi."

"Hi, Naruto," Kakashi smiled, "It's nice to meet you."

"Hello," Naruto said, looking up at him with his big blue eyes.

"So… you're gay."

Iruka's heart leapt to his throat. He attempted to swallow it back down.

"Y-yes. Does that… bother you, Naruto?"

"No," he said, shrugging his shoulders. He pulled at the lanyard around his neck.

"Can we see the frogs now?" he smiled, moving on, just like that.

Iruka heaved a sigh of relief. Kakashi gently placed a hand at the small of his back, as if to steady him.

"Of course."

He shot a look at Kakashi, who gave him a warm smile, and intertwined his hand in his.

—

"I never thought a dolphin would feel like that," Naruto said, as they were leaving the aquarium. "It was all squishy. Hey, who swims faster, you or Isla?"

Iruka laughed.

"Definitely Isla. She can swim between 20-25 miles per hour. Some species can swim up to 35."

"That's not very fast."

"Maybe not in a car, no. But considering the average speed for experienced swimmers is 3.7 miles per hour, that's pretty fast in comparison."

"You're slow!" Naruto giggled, pointing at him, while sliding his new frog figurine that Kakashi had bought him down the railing.

Iruka glanced at his watch. It was 6:30. They had to have Naruto back by 8:00 sharp.

"Are you hungry, Naruto?"

He nodded his head.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked, looking at Kakashi for suggestions.

"How about ramen?" he supplied. "Naruto, have you ever had ramen?"

"Yup! I put it in the microwave all by myself, too," Naruto said, proudly.

Kakashi inwardly cringed. _Top Ramen_ or _Cup of Noodles_ or whatever that bullshit was, was _not_ ramen.

"Well, this is going to be a little different, but I bet you'll still like it."

"Ok!" Naruto said, jumping down with both feet onto the next step.

—

"Well, I think that went pret…" Kakashi started, before Iruka crashed his lips against his, fingers already fumbling at the buttons on his shirt.

"Iru," Kakashi laughed, "let me take off my shoes at leas.."

"No," Iruka said, cutting him off again.

"_Bésame_," he demanded. (_Kiss me)_

Kakashi cupped Iruka's face in his hands and kissed him back hard, getting the hint. Iruka pushed him towards the bedroom, until he flopped onto the bed.

Seeing Kakashi interact with Naruto this evening was like falling into a dream he never knew he had. He didn't think it was possible to fall more in love with his husband than he already was, but today he was proven wrong.

He straddled Kakashi on the bed and slowly finished unbuttoning his shirt.

"We're going to have a son," he said for the first time. It felt foreign and exciting. He dragged a hand down Kakashi's bare chest.

"Are you ready?" Kakashi grinned, rocking his hips up to make contact.

"If you're with me, I'm ready for anything," Iruka said, enveloping Kakashi's nipple in a wet kiss.

In one swift movement, Kakashi had changed their positions, putting Iruka beneath him. He brought a hand down to his cock. He raised an eyebrow at him.

"Told you," Iruka smirked.

Kakashi slipped out of his dress shirt before removing Iruka's thermal. Iruka went to latch onto Kakashi's hips with his hands, but Kakashi pinned his wrists above his head. He scraped his teeth along Iruka's collarbone, before biting down hard into the thick black lines of Iruka's tribal tattoo on his shoulder. Kakashi wasn't the only one with ink. Iruka had a large killer whale in the distinctive style of the _Tlingit _and_ Haida, _that went halfway down his bicep. Kakashi sucked at the same spot to soothe the pain.

Iruka tried to move his arms but Kakashi kept them there with considerable force. It almost _hurt_.

Kakashi brought his mouth down an inch from Iruka's lips, only to pull away when Iruka came to meet him.

"_Fucking tease_," Iruka hissed, making another unsuccessful attempt at releasing his arms. The denial had lit his skin on fire.

Kakashi ran his tongue up the back of Iruka's bicep while grinding his pelvis down, causing Iruka to moan into his ear. He was _dying_ to dig his fingers into Kakashi's skin. To rake and grasp and clutch and _fuck_. Kakashi better be prepared for when he let him go, because he was going to go _off_.

Kakashi brought their mouths together and Iruka sank his teeth into his lower lip and held on, in retribution. Kakashi smiled against his mouth, ready to match his feral energy. He kissed Iruka hard, parting his lips to let their tongues slide and roll over and under each other. Iruka sucked Kakashi's tongue into his mouth, provoking a deep moan to rise from his throat. The sound made the hair on Iruka's skin prickle.

When Kakashi finally let go of Iruka's wrists, he immediately latched onto his hair, yanking Kakashi's head back to expose his neck. Kakashi inhaled sharply from the sting of it, as Iruka nipped and licked and sucked at every available inch of skin. He brought his mouth back to Kakashi's and kissed him with force, lifting the upper half of his body off the bed.

They made out aggressively, their teeth clacking together accidentally, as each one fought for dominance, all while rubbing desperately against each other.

"Get the _fuck_ out of these pants," Kakashi growled, as he whipped his own belt out of its loops and tossed it to the floor.

Iruka ripped his pants off in two seconds flat and pulled Kakashi back into him, parting his legs to let him fall in between. Iruka shuddered when their erections touched, a bout of electricity shooting through him. He brought his hand down to Kakashi's cock and gave it a few hard pumps before grasping it.

"Get inside me, before I lose it."

Kakashi prepped him with a liberal amount of lube, before rolling on a condom, and applying it to himself.

"_Ahh, hngh_," Iruka moaned, as Kakashi began to thrust, digging his fingers into the back of Kakashi's thighs.

He watched as Kakashi slid in and out of him, his defined abdominal muscles clearly visible from the work. Iruka bit his lip.

_Fuck_ was Kakashi hot.

Iruka's eyes squeezed shut as he hit just the right spot. He heard the cap of the lube click open again and before he knew it, Kakashi's hand was on him, wet and hot, sliding deliciously up and down his dick.

Iruka groaned through clenched teeth.

"Like hell you're going to stifle those moans," Kakashi said, coming to bite at his jaw. "Say my name."

"Ka-_kash_-i," Iruka breathed out, as Kakashi expertly aimed for his sweet spot.

"Again."

"Ka-_ahh-_kashh-_iiii_," Iruka moaned.

"Mmm," Kakashi responded, increasing his speed.

"_Coño_. _Me encanta cuando estas a dentro de mi, papi_."

(_Shit. I love when you're inside me_.)

This incited Kakashi to thrust harder, fucking Iruka down into the mattress. He knew Kakashi loved it when he spoke Spanish in bed.

Seconds later, Kakashi's body was shaking on top of him, as Iruka's own orgasm spilled out onto his stomach.

"_Fuck_," Kakashi said, pulling out and running his lube-free hand through his hair. "That was so good."

"_Mmm_," Iruka agreed, his heart still pounding inside his chest. He licked his lips. "Though I think my wrists might be bruised."

Kakashi brought one of them to his mouth and kissed it.

"Shit. I'm sorry," Kakashi laughed, still kneeling in front of him.

"Please don't be," Iruka said, pinching Kakashi's chin a little too hard, between his fingers.

Kakashi smiled, wrapping his hand around Iruka's forearm, to pull him up from the bed. It brought Iruka face to face with Kakashi's pecs. He hugged his husband's torso, nuzzling his nose into the dragon that was inked along his ribcage.

"You still have cum all over you," Kakashi reminded him.

"I don't care," he hummed into his skin.

"What if I do?" Kakashi teased.

Iruka lifted his head.

"Do you?"

Kakashi swiped his finger through it, before putting it in his mouth.

"Does that answer your question?"

Iruka felt as if a ball of lead had been dropped into his stomach.

_Goddammit._ Was it normal to be _this _attracted to someone? Had his sex drive always been this high? He didn't know. He couldn't remember anything outside of Kakashi anymore. None of it mattered.

"Join me in the shower," Iruka said, moving to get up off the bed, his mind concocting a myriad of erotic things.

Kakashi got up too, taking his condom off.

"Ok, but for the record, our son can't call you _papi_. I don't care how common that is for latin american fathers."

Iruka laughed, but when he tried to think of a reply, he could only focus on Kakashi saying 'our son'. The sensation it brought, strangled any words that may have left his throat.


	4. Chapter 4

**04**

It had been three weeks since they'd taken Naruto to the aquarium, and every Sunday since then, they had scheduled time to spend with him. It was going really well. So well, in fact, that Iruka felt afraid. Scared that something was going to come along and derail the whole thing. Even though gay adoption was legal in Illinois, he still feared they would face some discrimination at the last minute or… he didn't know. Some bureaucracy bullshit.

It was a Saturday night, and they were having Kisame and Itachi over for dinner and a movie. Kisame was a California transplant, who transferred to the Shedd from Monterey Bay two years ago, when their shark specialist had retired. They got along right away, and they were the only openly gay (young) men among the high ranks at the aquarium. They had introduced Kisame to Itachi, an old friend of Kakashi's from high school, a little over a year ago now. They'd been dating ever since.

Kisame and Itachi would be the first ones to hear the news. They were definitely going to adopt Naruto. They still had to ask Naruto of course, but if he said yes, they would move forward. That was the the other thing that lurked in the back of his mind. What if, for some strange reason, Naruto said no? He knew, since Naruto was 7 and half years old, that they could go along with the adoption anyway, but Naruto's consent was _really_ important to Iruka.

"I think they just pulled up," Kakashi said, coming into the kitchen. "Hey, you alright?"

Kakashi had walked in to find Iruka spaced out with his hands on the counter, on either side of a pile of dough. They were having them over for pizza and Iruka insisted they make it from scratch. He had already made the dough, but wanted to wait until Kisame and Itachi got there so they could add the toppings themselves.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Just thinking," Iruka said, picking up his wine glass and taking a sip.

"Stop stressing," Kakashi said, coming to kiss him on the cheek. "Everything's going to be fine."

Iruka wiped his hands on his apron, before bringing one up to cup Kakashi's face, giving him a proper kiss.

There was a knock at the door.

As Kakashi left to answer it, Iruka divided the dough in half, and rolled it out on top of two large pizza stones.

"Hi, honey," Itachi said, coming over to kiss Iruka on the cheek in greeting.

"You smell like… peppermint?" Iruka said, scrunching his nose.

"It's strong, I know. I have a bit of a migraine. The essential oil helps," Itachi said, pressing a finger to his temple. Round, wire glasses adorned his face.

He looked as elegant as always, his long hair pulled back in a low ponytail. There was a patterned silk bandana around his neck, that rested on top of his grey sweater, framed by a black cardigan.

"I brought a bottle of red wine, but it seems you've already got some."

"It was a bottle I already had open. I'm on the last glass."

"Perfect," Itachi said, opening the drawer to grab the bottle opener. He'd been there enough times to know where it was. He poured himself a glass and left the kitchen to give one to Kisame.

"Can I help you with anything?" he asked on his return.

"Yes. Grab the other two, and we'll top the pizzas."

"Mm. Yeah. That seems like a job for the other two, considering neither of us are much of a top," Itachi joked.

Iruka almost scoffed, feeling _slightly_ offended by the assumption, before admitting to himself that it was kind of true. Kakashi did top a lot more than he did. And you know what… fuck it, he liked it. _A lot_.

"Boys!" Itachi called, "come top these pizzas!"

Iruka placed the pizza stones on the table, allowing them more room to work. He pre-heated the oven, and pulled several bowls of chopped ingredients out of the fridge along with the sauce.

"We've got mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions, broccoli rabe, cheese, and some sausage… Kakashi, what was it again?" Iruka asked.

Kakashi had picked it up earlier at the farmer's market, along with everything else, while Iruka was still at work. He'd done all the prep work, too.

"It's pork with sun-dried tomatoes, fennel, and red pepper flakes? I think. I don't really remember." He laughed, scratching at the back of his head. "I tried a sample though, it was really good."

"So, take your pick," Iruka said, fanning his hands out.

"Yum," Itachi said, as all four of them went to work.

_Buena Vista Social Club_ was playing in the background. It was the live album, at Carnegie Hall.

"_Ay, mamaaa, que pasóóó,_" Iruka sang along, swaying his body back and forth as he spread the sauce out on the dough.

"Did Iruka tell you what happened today at work, Kakashi?"

Kakashi looked at Iruka questionably, "No?"

"Jessica, that new, annoying as fuck volunteer, came up to Iruka and was asking him how he always managed to have such a perfect tan, acting all jealous and shit," Kisame laughed. "_Literally_ asking him how he did it. Like what salon he went to. Or if he used some special product."

Itachi gasped.

"How does she not know our boy is latino?" Itachi asked.

"She's in for a surprise in the summer. Iru's almost black when he's actually _trying_ to tan," Kakashi teased.

"I don't know if her brain will be able to handle that," Kisame said. "If I had to guess, she won't make it till summer anyway. Man, it's hit or miss with volunteers, especially when they're young. Sometimes they're fucking fantastic, and other times they just create more work for you somehow."

"She then continued to misidentify me as Mexican," Iruka added with a roll of his eyes. "White people always assume that every Spanish speaking person is Mexican. I don't get it. I don't look Mexican at all."

"It's like Kakashi and I being called 'Asian' all the time. The default 'Asian' guess is Chinese. White people can't identify for shit. No offense," Itachi said, placing a hand with black fingernail polish, on Kisame's arm.

"I'm not offended. It's true. But I would never assume someone's racial identity _out loud_, if I didn't know it. It's rude," Kisame said.

"That's why you're special," Itachi said, flashing him a warm smile. "And the only white man I've ever allowed in my bed."

Everyone laughed at that.

When they were finished, Iruka popped the pizzas in the oven, and they all went out to the sitting room while it cooked.

"Do you still play with that drumming group? What's it called again? I haven't heard you talk about it in a while," Kisame said, his eyes on the rather tall drum in the corner.

"_Bomba_," Iruka said, "And not since they changed my hours at the Shedd two months ago. They meet on Saturday mornings, and I usually work till three."

"Bummer," Kisame said.

"But you'll still play sometimes, if they're putting on an event and you're free," Kakashi added.

After Iruka in a wet suit, Iruka playing a drum was Kakashi's favorite thing. There was something about it that he found incredibly hot. Having a Puerto Rican and Dominican man as a husband had introduced Kakashi to a whole world of things he'd never seen or heard before. It enriched his life in so many ways.

"True. There hasn't been one in awhile though," Iruka said. "I miss it."

The conversation had come to a lull, providing the perfect opportunity to share the news. Iruka took a a large sip of his wine.

"So," he began, "Kakashi and I are adopting a child. A boy."

"No!" Itachi said, sitting up straight in excitement.

"Yes, if all goes well. His name's Naruto Uzumaki. He's almost 8 years old."

"Japanese?" Itachi asked, looking at Kakashi.

"Mostly," Kakashi replied. "His mom was Japanese and his dad was half Japanese, half white. He's got blonde hair and blue eyes."

"That's amazing!" Itachi said, turning to gawk at Kisame.

"Congratulations," Kisame said, toasting his glass in the air. "Wait a minute… Isn't that the little squirt with the frog shirt from the overnight camp a few weeks ago?"

"The same," Iruka smiled.

"Man," Kisame laughed, slapping his knee. "You really are a sucker."

Iruka blushed. He couldn't deny that he was.

"_Otou-san_, huh?" Itachi teased, raising his eyebrows at Kakashi.

"More like _youfu_, but… yeah," Kakashi smiled, widening his eyes. It was becoming more real, now that the conservation had expanded outside of Iruka and himself.

"What'd you call your dad growing up?" Itachi asked Iruka.

"_Papi_, but we already ruled that out," Iruka laughed. "I've tainted it by using it in the bedroom too many times."

Kisame barked out a laugh.

"I'd say _Daddy_ is probably off limits too. Man, we gays didn't make it easy. Imagine your child saying '_yes, daddy,_'" Kisame said, inciting a bout of laughter around the room.

.

"No thanks," Kakashi said.

"What are you going to use then?" Itachi asked.

Iruka blew out a breath.

"I don't know. I thought about papá, but it doesn't seem right either. Naruto is old enough to know that we're not his biological parents. I don't even know if I'm comfortable asking him to call us his fathers. What if he doesn't want to?"

"What if we just use our names?" Kakashi suggested. "He already calls us by them. We can shorten them, to make it feel more familiar. I already call you Iru all the time anyway."

"Iru and… Kaka?" Itachi said, folding his lips together to hold back a laugh.

"_God_, no. Let's go with the second half of my name," Kakashi laughed.

"Kashi," Iruka pondered. "That's… sweet. I like it."

—-

When they had finished eating, and cleaned up the kitchen, the four of them squished together on the couch to watch a movie.

"Can we not flip through the films for all of eternity?" Iruka asked, with his face pressed against Kakashi's shoulder.

"For that to happen, someone would need to actually pick one," Kakashi said, with the remote pointed at the TV, scrolling through the endless list.

"What about that one. _Under an Arctic Sky_," Kisame suggested.

Kakashi clicked on it and read it out loud.

"Surfers travel to a remote corner of Iceland in the middle of winter to find perfect waves…"

"Oh my god. No, Kisame." Itachi said. "We're not watching a documentary about surfing."

"Ok, Miss I-only-enjoy-psychological-thrillers," Kisame said, pulling lightly on Itachi's ponytail, which was draped over his shoulder.

"Not true," he said, swatting his hand away. "I like other things. AND I liked that one surfing movie."

"_Moana_?" Kisame said, looking at him incredulously. "Seriously, Itachi? You liked it because of the music. And because it was made by Disney."

"_I see what's happening, yeah_," Itachi began to sing, "_You're face to face with greatness and it's strange."_

"Shut up," Kisame laughed, putting his hand over Itachi's mouth.

Itachi pulled it off and jumped off the couch.

"_I know it's a lot, the hair,_" Itachi swished it over his shoulder, "_the bod!_ _when you're staring at a demi god!_"

"I hate you," Kisame laughed, looking at him with anything _but_ hate.

"_What can I SAAAY except YOU'RE WELCOME!_" Itachi sang-shouted, before Kisame pulled him into his lap and shut him up for good.

"OH! oh! What about _Coco_?" Iruka asked, lifting his head from Kakashi's shoulder to peer at everyone.

Nobody immediately refuted, which meant it was the best suggestion yet.

"YES," Itachi said, lifting Kisame's hand off him once again. "I haven't seen it yet. What do you say, Kis?" Itachi asked, turning around to look at him from his lap.

"Whatever you want, dear," Kisame said, slightly mock-toned, before planting a kiss to his neck. Itachi slid off his lap and back into his spot on the couch, leaving his legs draped over Kisame's thighs.

"Hooray!"

"Kakashi and I have been meaning to watch it since it came out," Iruka said, giving Kakashi's side a squeeze.

Iruka settled back into the crook of Kakashi's shoulder as the movie began to play.

—-

Iruka woke at 8 in the morning to the sun hitting his face and an empty bed. On his way to the kitchen, he found Kakashi on the couch, reading glasses on, engrossed in a graphic novel, a mug of coffee already in his hand.

Iruka poured himself a cup before snuggling in beside him.

"_Buenos días. Que estás leyendo?_"

Kakashi folded over the cover to let Iruka see it.

"_Y como está_?"

"Not bad. It's a little too dystopic for me, but we'll see."

Iruka brought his cup to his face, letting the steam warm up his nose.

"_Hace frío._ Diablo."

Kakashi stretched the blanket he was using to fit over Iruka's lap too.

"It seems like the temperate dropped over night," Kakashi said, closing his book and placing it on the side table. He took a sip of his coffee and glanced at the clock.

"Do you wanna go to yoga this morning? We could make the 9:00 class and still have time to relax before we pick up Naruto."

"Sure. But you're going to have to pick a different spot this time. I can't have you on all fours in front of my face," Iruka said. "Wait. Let me rephrase that. I'd _love_ to have you on all fours in front of my face, just not there. It's too distracting.

Kakashi laughed.

"The room was already full! I didn't have a choice."

"Then quit making us late!" Iruka teased.

Kakashi draped an arm over Iruka's shoulder and ran his fingers through his long hair.

"Maybe I should wear my sheer crop top," Kakashi teased.

"Go ahead, and then see if we make it out of this house," Iruka responded, placing his cup on the coffee table before crawling into Kakashi's lap.

"I thought you didn't want to be late," Kakashi said, rolling his hips up to hit Iruka.

"_Mi amor_," Iruka swooned. "_No me jodas_."

"It's not teasing if I'm willing to give you exactly what you want," Kakashi said.

Iruka bit his lip in thought.

"Hmm. Yoga or sex?"

"Yoga AND sex?" Kakashi suggested.

"We'll be all flexible afterwards," he smirked, running his hands around to the small of Iruka's back, partly beneath the hem of his sweatpants. "I'd be happy to get on all fours for you."

"_Umpf_. I like the sound of that," Iruka said, removing Kakashi's glasses, before tilting his head up with a finger and rising to his knees. He enveloped him in a passionate kiss.

Kakashi gave him a hard slap on the ass.

"Then let's go, before _you're_ the one who makes us late."

—

Several hours (and orgasms) later, they were in the car by 3:00, on their way to pick up Naruto. Kakashi was driving, and Iruka was fiddling with the knobs on the dashboard, turning on the heat.

"It's not even 50 degrees yet," Kakashi teased, cracking his window open an inch, in compromise. He knew he'd get too hot in a matter of minutes.

"Oh, excuse me, it's…" he peered at the temperature gauge, "_51_. I may have been born here, but Caribbean blood still runs in my veins," Iruka said, in his defense.

It was almost October. Temperatures had gotten chilly, but it really wasn't that bad. Not when he knew it could be much worse. Like 20 below, with wind chill. Even though he grew up in Chicago, Iruka never got used to it. Did _anyone_ get used to it? Well, _Kakashi_ never seemed to mind much. Despite it all, he still loved winter when it came.

They were taking Naruto to Sunny Acres today, a pumpkin patch and apple orchard that offered much more than produce. It housed a small carnival, as well as a petting zoo, and a haunted house and hay ride. Kakashi grew up visiting it. He had even worked the haunted house one season, when he was 18, dressed in a glow-in-the-dark skeleton suit. He loved going back there, mostly for nostalgic reasons, but also for the cider. Iruka had come to love it, too. It had become a fall tradition for them. It was his favorite place to buy cute little pumpkins and gourds to decorate the house. He planned on leaving with several.

Tonight was a big deal. They had been granted their first overnight stay with Naruto. It had required an extensive background check, in addition to the ones they had already done, along with a home visit, but they were happy to do it.

When Naruto came walking towards the car, Iruka saw the same frog shirt poking out from under his jacket. He wondered if it was because the boy didn't have any more clothes, or if he just loved the shirt so much, he refused to take it off.

"Do you need help with your buckle?" Kakashi asked, who had gotten out to open the door for him. Kakashi drove a jeep, so it was a bit high for Naruto to get up on his own.

"No, I can do it," Naruto said, after taking off his orange backpack to rest it on the seat.

"Ok, then," Kakashi said, shutting the door before climbing back in himself.

—

It was _packed_. After circling the lot several times, they finally found a parking spot. It was a nice day, able it cold, but the sun was out and that made all the difference.

The entrance was flanked by several bales of hay, an elaborate pumpkin display, and two scarecrows.

"Hey, you have the same hair!" Naruto giggled, pointing at one of the scarecrows, and then at Kakashi.

Iruka burst out laughing.

"I can see the resemblance," Iruka joked, as Kakashi gave him a gentle shove.

Kakashi passed a hand over his silver-gray hair, as if to smooth it down. It wasn't _nearly_ as tall as that scarecrows. He took a red beanie out of his sweatshirt pocket and slipped it on. It slouched loosely in the back against his scalp, contrasting nicely against the navy blue of his hoodie, which had No Doubt's_ Tragic Kingdom_ album cover on the front. He laughed to himself, realizing what he had just done.

_This seven year old boy just made me self conscious_.

Iruka came over to him and slipped a few fingers into his back pocket.

"You look sexy, _no te preocupes_," he said into his ear, before planting a kiss there.

(_You look sexy, don't worry_.)

Naruto had been leading them into the direction of a giant slide. He wrapped his small hands around the barricade, staring up at it in wonder, as people came whizzing down with their legs inside burlap sacks.

Kakashi and Iruka came to a stop behind him.

"You want to go down it, Naruto?" Iruka asked.

Naruto turned around.

"Can I?!" he asked, his bright blue eyes sparkling, as if he couldn't believe it.

"Of course," Iruka smiled.

Naruto latched onto Iruka's sleeve and started tugging him towards it. Iruka's heart leapt into his throat. He looked at Kakashi in shock, who gave him a wide, encouraging smile. This was the first time Naruto had ever reached out for contact. Iruka felt heat prick at his armpits, before he willed himself to relax into the touch. He wrapped his fingers lightly around Naruto's hand as they climbed up the stairs.

"Are you afraid of heights, Naruto?" Iruka asked, as they were nearing the top.

"No. I like climbing trees but Ms. Garcia yells at me for it," Naruto said, referring to one of the women who worked as a caretaker at the orphanage.

"I like to climb, too." Iruka said. "But mostly rocks. Have you ever seen someone rock climb?"

Naruto shook his head, concentrating on his feet as they climbed.

"Is it scary?"

"It can be," Iruka replied honestly.

"Cool."

"Do you like being scared?" Iruka asked, amused.

"I don't get scared," Naruto replied, confidently.

"Is that so?" Iruka laughed. "We'll have to put that to the test then. At the haunted house and hay ride later."

"Heh! Ghosts aren't real!" Naruto said, lifting his head to flash Iruka a grin. It caused him to miss a step, but Iruka had used the strength in his arm to keep him from falling.

"But what about zombies? Or goblins? Or werewolves?" Iruka teased.

He saw Naruto's smile falter for a split second, before shining bright again.

"Big deal!"

When they had reached the top, the young man in charge asked if they wanted to ride together or separately. Iruka let Naruto decide.

"I wanna race!" he said, before plopping his butt down hard on the platform.

Iruka situated himself inside his sack on the other side of the partition, next to Naruto. He looked down to find Kakashi had moved towards the front of the slide, his red hat easily identifiable. He had his phone ready, in what Iruka assumed would be to take a video.

A thought struck him. It was happening. They were making memories. Right now. Their life together was officially starting. Iruka's heart pumped hard in his chest. It was funny, how indifferent he was about children, before he met Naruto. Now, he couldn't imagine anything else. He was already so attached to this little blonde boy.

The young man helped Naruto into his own sack.

"It's itchy," Naruto said, pulling his hands back in dislike.

"But make sure you hold on," Iruka told him, lifting himself out of his thoughts. "Or it might slip off your legs and I'll beat you for sure."

"No way!" Naruto said, gripping the top of his sack in determination.

"Ready?" Iruka asked.

Naruto nodded his head sharply, focusing on the space in front of him.

"Ok, on the count of three. 1, 2….3!"

Both of them scooted forward and began to slide down.

"Whooaaa!" Naruto squealed in delight.

Iruka watched as Naruto ended up in a lying position, in order to keep himself from falling over onto his side. Naruto had hit the landing mat several seconds before he did.

Naruto shook off his sack and stood up to taunt Iruka.

"I won! I won! Heh!" he shouted, hopping around. "Believe it!"

Iruka got out of his sack and brushed the stray strings off his black jeans.

"You did. Fair and square. Let's celebrate, huh?"

They walked inside a long, covered, wooden walkway, that was filled with several kiosks.

Naruto pressed his face against the glass that divided him from an array of different pastries. There was caramel-dipped apples, apple pie, pumpkin cheesecake, funnel cakes, and apple cider donuts. Naruto chose the donut.

"Good choice. They're my all-time favorite," Kakashi said, before ordering a hot cider for Iruka and himself. He made a mental note to come back for a dozen donuts and a gallon of cider before heading home.

Kakashi's phone began to ring as he was finishing paying the cashier.

"Yo," he said, anchoring the phone on his shoulder as he grabbed his cider and put his wallet back into his pocket.

"We're just getting some cider. We'll be there in a second." Kakashi said, before hanging up.

They had invited Rin to join them for a bit, before she had to go into work. She had been pestering Kakashi for a while now, but Kakashi had wanted time to get to know Naruto himself first, before bringing new people in.

They found her standing in front of the pumpkins. She was hard to miss, decked out in a pair of ripped black tights, a yellow spandex skirt, and a black sweater, embellished with a large white spider. Her powder blue hair was piled on top of her head. A tattoo of a rose was visible on her neck. She had the same pale white skin as her brother.

"Hey!" she said excitedly, giving each of them a hug, before crouching down in front of Naruto.

"You must be Naruto. I'm Kakashi's sister Rin," she said, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"I brought you something," she said, reaching into her bag. "I heard you like frogs."

She handed him a beanie in the shape of a frogs face. The eyes were printed on two small bulges on the top, where in other animals, they'd look like ears.

Naruto's eyes lit up. He pulled it onto his head.

"_Kawaii!_" she cried, bringing a hand to his cheek, before standing up.

"It looks great, _ne_, Kakashi?"

Rin was short, compared to Kakashi's 6 foot frame. But with her platform white creepers, she came up a little past his shoulder.

"Should we carve some pumpkins?" she asked.

"I think you can only paint them here," Kakashi replied. "Knives being a liability."

"Well that sounds fun, too. What do you think Naruto?" she asked.

"Yeah!"

—

An hour and several paint spills later, they had finished their pumpkins. Rin had painted Jack Skellington, Kakashi had gone for something abstract, each rib painted a different color. Iruka had painted his black, and drawn a pair of glasses with a lightening bolt on one side, and the Deathly Hallows on the other. Naruto had drawn what looked like a sort of wonky… dog.

"What animal did you draw, Naruto?" Iruka asked, out of curiosity.

"A fox," he said, a streak of red paint on his cheek.

"Ah," Iruka said. The more he looked at it, the more he could see it. The big upright ears and long… tails?

"Why does it have so many tails?" he asked.

Naruto shrugged.

"I like it," Rin said, smiling at him. "It's original. I think we've got an artist on our hands."

Afterwards, they all sat down for dinner at a picnic table under a large tree. Kakashi had returned with a tray of four plates of roasted chicken, charred corn on the cob, and a chopped salad containing apples, walnuts, and roasted pumpkin. One of the plates contained mac and cheese instead of chicken for Rin, who was a vegetarian.

Iruka cut up the chicken on Naruto's plate.

"Do you want me to take the corn off the cob? Or do you want to eat it like that?" he asked.

"I'll eat it like this," Naruto said, picking it up and taking a bite. He kicked his legs happily beneath him on the bench.

"Hey!" Kakashi had shouted to someone across the way.

Iruka turned around to see Itachi, with a small dark-haired boy, attached to his hand. They came over to the table.

"Seems like the popular spot today," Itachi said. "You remember my brooding brother, Sasuke?"

Sasuke glared at them all.

"And you must be…?" Itachi began, throwing a look at Kakashi, who nodded.

"I'm Naruto!" Naruto chimed in, placing his half eaten cob on the plate.

"You have corn on your face," Sasuke said.

Naruto wiped it off, blushing profusely.

"Tch," Itachi said, flicking his brother on the side of head. "Be nice."

"_Ow,_" Sasuke said, jerking his hand out of his brother's grip, to rub the spot. "I _was_. He'd look stupid walking around with corn on his face."

"Do you want to join us?" Iruka asked, scooting over on the bench. How could he forget that Itachi had a younger brother around Naruto's age?

"Sure. We already ate though. We came for the haunts. Thought it'd be a good way to bond with my little brother. Give him a good scare," Itachi joked, ruffling Sasuke's hair. Sasuke swatted his hand away.

Iruka noticed that Naruto couldn't seem to take his eyes off Sasuke, ever since he sat down. Sasuke noticed, too.

"What?!" Sasuke snapped, causing Naruto to suddenly become very interested in inspecting his plate.

Iruka felt a wave of protective heat wash over him. He didn't want to appear like he was babying Naruto though, so he let it slide.

—

By the time they had finished eating and said their goodbye's to Rin, dusk had settled in. It wasn't long before the sun slinked beneath the horizon completely, and hundreds of strings of tiny lights were illuminated.

"…people always equate non-violence with pacifism. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Non-violence is a resistance tactic that requires a lot of strategic planning. You can spark and _win_ revolutions with it," Iruka heard Itachi say, who was in conversation with Kakashi, as they were waiting in line at the haunted house.

"Why is Che Guevara sexier than Ghandi? And why is Ghandi highlighted and revered above all the other non-violent soldiers? They sold him as an image, too, you know. Always showing him in robes and sandals. But, he was a lawyer! You know that right? Where are the images of him in a suit?"

"Che's overrated," Iruka piped in.

If he had said that in his home country, people would be outraged. Che was still considered an icon in Latin America, and Puerto Rico was no different. Iruka understood what he represented, and the role that he played in history; he respected that, but he didn't agree with his tactics nor that an armed struggle was the way to independence for Puerto Rico. And…

"He was homophobic."

"Him and Castro, both." Itachi said. "What kind of revolution is _that_?"

Iruka sighed in agreement. These types of conversations were commonplace around Itachi. He was doing his graduate research on social movements, after all, specifically ones that employed non-violence.

Iruka looked down at Naruto, who was being awfully quiet, standing closer than necessary to his leg. He wondered what was going through his little head. He still seemed to be transfixed on Sasuke, who hadn't show anything to Naruto but his back, for the past 10 minutes. He wished it was different. He was hoping Sasuke could be Naruto's first friend.

They reached the front of the line, coming up to the doors of an old barn, adorned with fake spider webs. Artificial mist was pouring through the cracks.

"I can't go in there," Itachi said. "The flashing lights irritate my eyes. I'd be leaving here blind."

"We can wait with you," Kakashi said. "I'm sure the boys will be fine on their own."

Iruka gave Kakashi a worried look.

"He'll be _fine_," Kakashi reassured him, quietly.

Iruka crouched down next to Naruto.

"We'll meet you on the other side, okay?"

Naruto nodded.

"Don't leave him alone, Sasuke," Itachi warned.

Sasuke gave his brother an irritated glare before disappearing behind the doors, Naruto scrambling in behind him.

—

When Naruto entered the barn, he saw nothing but darkness and smoke.

"Sasuke?" he whispered, taking a step forward.

There was no reply.

He heard the sound of a door creaking slowly shut.

Naruto's body turned to ice.

"Sasuke?" he said, a little bit louder, fiddling with the zipper on the bottom of his coat.

Still nothing.

Naruto sensed movement to his right, followed by a series of low groans and howls. He felt a slight breeze on his skin, causing his hair to rise. He spun around.

"Sasu-_ke_!" he cried, angrily. "This isn't funny!"

He kept on walking, heading towards a flashing blue and green light. He passed a large bubbling cauldron filled with eyeballs, an artificial graveyard with an open, empty casket, and several large, hairy spiders. He felt movement behind him again. This time, there _was_ someone there. A glow-in-the dark skeleton jumped out at him.

"Sasuke!" Naruto whimpered, running around a corner, only to knock right into someone, causing them both to tumble to the ground.

"Watch where you're going, stupid," came Sasuke's annoyed voice.

Naruto blinked at him through the darkness. He could just make out the shape of his spiky black hair.

"Sasuke?" Naruto said again. It seemed to be the only thing he could get to leave his mouth.

"Get off me, Naruto," Sasuke said, pushing at him.

Naruto got to his feet.

"S-sorry," he said.

"Tch," Sasuke replied, wiping cotton cobwebs off his black sweatshirt, which stood out starkly beneath the black light. It also highlighted the fact that Naruto's shirt was covered in blotchy stains beneath his jacket.

"Don't you ever wash your clothes?" Sasuke asked, staring at his shirt.

Naruto looked down.

"Ah!" he said in surprise upon seeing it, throwing his arms out as if to try and get away from it, before wrapping his jacket around it protectively.

"It's my favorite shirt. I don't have many."

"Buy another one," Sasuke said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't have any money."

"Have your _mom_ do it. Tch."

"I don't have one. Or a dad."

This caught Sasuke off guard. Now that he thought about it, he didn't see any sign of Naruto's parents tonight. Only Itachi's friend Kakashi. And Iruka. But he thought maybe they just weren't here.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, his features faltering.

"I'm an orphan."

Sasuke stared at Naruto, whose frog hat was lopsided now. It was the first time he looked Naruto in the face for more than five seconds at a time. He was surprised to see bright blue eyes glinting back at him, clearly visible, even in the low light. Something tightened inside Sasuke's chest. He rubbed at the spot before reaching out to fix Naruto's hat.

"Nice hat," he smirked.

Naruto quickly took it off his head, holding on to it defensively.

"You're mean! Why are you being a jerk?!"

Sasuke reached for it again. For some reason, Naruto let him pry it out of his fingers.

"I wasn't being mean, idiot. I like it," Sasuke said, pulling it onto Naruto's head until it came down over his eyes, before walking away.

Naruto stood there for a moment, dumbstruck by Sasuke's change in attitude. He lifted the hat from over his eyes and ran to catch up.

—

Iruka had his hands in his pockets, shifting around on his feet nervously. Hadn't they been in there awhile? The barn wasn't _that_ big. Was Naruto okay? This was safe, right? He should have asked if there was an age requirement. He should have gone _with_ Naruto. That would have solved everything.

Kakashi came up beside him, gently dragging his thumb through Iruka's creased brow.

"Relax," Kakashi laughed. "He's okay. If you constantly worry about him like this, you'll have a heart attack before he's 10. And there's no fucking way I'm going through this life without you. So, _chill_."

Kakashi pushed Iruka's shoulders down from near his ears, before rubbing the tension out of them.

"It's perfectly safe in there. Nothing can happen to him, aside from being scared. But that's the _point,_" Kakashi chuckled.

Iruka closed his eyes, losing himself in the massage.

He sighed, a small smile gracing his lips.

"You're right. I'm being ridiculous."

"No," Kakashi said, giving his shoulders a final squeeze.

He came around to look at him.

"You're being a parent. Parents worry. But let's try and keep it rational, hm?" he said, cupping Iruka's chin between his forefinger and thumb, before dropping his hand.

Iruka's eyes drifted over Kakashi's shoulder to see Naruto and Sasuke emerging from the barn. He searched Naruto's face for any sign of irreparable trauma, only to find that Naruto was smiling and Sasuke was… was Sasuke _laughing_?

"Did somebody die in there?" Itachi asked as they approached.

"No," Sasuke scowled.

"Then why are you laughing? Are you okay?" Itachi asked, dramatically pressing his hand to Sasuke's forehead.

"Quit it," Sasuke said, clutching onto Itachi's arm as they wrestled with each other for a moment.

"How was it, Naruto?" Kakashi asked.

"It was fun!"

Kakashi raised a playful eyebrow at Iruka.

"Good! Then you're still up for the haunted hayride?"

"Is Sasuke coming?" Naruto asked.

Everybody looked at Sasuke, but the only eyes Sasuke met, were Naruto's blue ones, which were staring at him expectantly.

He sighed.

"I guess."

Naruto grabbed onto the bottom of Sasuke's sweatshirt and yanked.

"Let's go!"

—-

By the time they pulled up to their apartment, it was 9:00 and Naruto was fast asleep in the backseat, with his mouth hanging open.

"Should we wake him?" Iruka asked.

"I can carry him in," Kakashi suggested. "And see what happens."

Iruka nodded in agreement and they both got out.

Kakashi scooped him up, without so much as a peep from Naruto, and headed inside.

They had set up an air mattress in their spare room, which had been converted into a creative space. It housed several bookcases, a desk, two velvet green antique armchairs, and several different types of drums. Framed posters and art embellished the walls, some of them drawn by Kakashi himself. Iruka always thought he'd make an excellent tattoo artist in another life (that and a stripper). He had drawn and designed most of his own to begin with, along with one that decorated Iruka's calf.

Iruka pulled back the covers on the bed and fluffed the pillow. He turned around to see Kakashi in the door frame, with Naruto clutched to his chest. The hand that contained Kakashi's wedding band was pressed lightly against Naruto's head. It took his breath away to see his husband tenderly cradling a child. Iruka fought off the urge to cry, silently praying that the adoption would go smoothly. He had never wanted anything so badly in his life. His whole body ached.

Kakashi laid him gently in the bed, pulled the hat off his head, and placed it on the ground beside him.

"Shouldn't we change him out of his clothes?" Iruka whispered.

"He's fine," Kakashi said, adjusting the blankets over Naruto's body. "Let him sleep."

They both got up and left Naruto's side.

As Iruka was shutting the door, he heard the tiniest of voices.

His heartbeat throbbed in his ears. Did he hear that right?

He crossed over to Naruto's bed to find his eyes open, a slit of blue staring up at him.

"Can I live here?" he asked again, in barely a whisper.

Iruka made no attempt to fight off his tears, knowing it would be futile. He let them flow freely down his cheeks.

"Would you like that, Naruto?" was all Iruka managed to choke out.

Naruto nodded his head slowly, before his eyes fluttered shut, and he fell back asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**05**

Kakashi was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. He had been awoken by Iruka at 6 am, only to be given a lecture that he make Naruto a proper breakfast, one that didn't involve the apple cider donuts he brought home yesterday. Iruka was a _bit_ of a health nut (to put it nicely), and while Kakashi definitely maintained a good diet, he was more lenient with himself.

He _really_ wanted to throw a pillow at his husband's face, to show his appreciation for being woken up so early. _Of course _he'd cook Naruto a good breakfast, but he knew Iruka was lamenting about the fact that he couldn't spend the morning with them, so he held back his retaliation. He didn't usually work on Sundays, but a mandatory meeting had been scheduled at the aquarium weeks in advance.

It was now 8:00, and after several hours of tossing and turning, he hadn't been able to fall back asleep. He shifted his gaze towards the window. The leaves on the large maple tree that sat in front of it had changed to a brilliant array of red, orange, and yellow. The sky contained scattered clouds, but they were white and bright, against a crisp blue sky. Aside from a couple of chirping birds and the occasional passing car, there was no other sound to be heard. He figured Naruto must still be asleep.

He stretched his arms and legs in bed, causing Pakkun to let out a groan from being disturbed.

He got up, slipped into a pair of loose pants, and clicked on Saosin's self-titled CD, a throwback to high school. He would never _not _love this album, no matter how old he was. Something about this time of year, made him nostalgic for those years. All of his memories were heavily associated with music. This in particular, reminded him of driving around with Itachi, Hidan, and some of their other friends, late at night with the windows down, music blaring, on their way to see whatever band had come into town that weekend.

Itachi had lied to his parents, the night they went to see Saosin. He was two years younger than everyone else, and his parents had set strict rules about going into Chicago. Itachi was so guilt ridden, he could barely enjoy the concert. They eventually found out, because Itachi had cracked, and Fugaku blamed Kakashi for being a bad influence. It didn't help that at the time, he and Itachi had been dating.

Kakashi was Itachi's first "public" boyfriend, a requirement from Kakashi if they were to date. He had always been unapologetic and confident about who he was, and high school was no exception. It barely lasted a month; they were a _terrible_ match, but Kakashi did learn that he _might_ have a thing for long-haired pretty boys. It wasn't all for naught though, Itachi had become his closet friend outside of his sister Rin.

He smirked to himself in remembrance, grabbing the yoga mat that leaned against the wall, unfurling it onto the wood flooring. He laid on his back, crossed an ankle over the opposite knee, and stuck his arm through the hole it created to pull his shin into his chest. Apparently, this was an invitation for Pakkun to come lick his face.

"Come on, Pak," he said, scrunching his eyes and mouth shut to avoid them falling victim to his tongue. He turned his head to the side, which only excited the dog more, causing him to jump up onto Kakashi's bare chest, his nails digging into the skin.

"_Ow_. Damn. I need to cut your nails," he said, lifting the dog up above his face to examine his feet. He put him on the floor and sat up.

"Alright," he patted him on the butt, "Out you go."

He ushered him to the door. When he opened it, he saw Naruto through the crack, standing in the hallway, looking a little lost.

"Oh, Naruto," Kakashi said, opening the door wider. "You're awake."

Naruto blinked at him, his blonde hair sticking out wildly in every direction.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Ah, well, you've found it. It's right there," Kakashi said, pointing to the door on his left. "Do you, uh, need help?" Kakashi asked, scratching at the back of his head. He had _no_ idea when children no longer needed help going to the bathroom.

"No…" Naruto said, giving him a strange look, before closing the bathroom door behind him.

Kakashi felt his cheeks flush. He didn't know! Maybe the toilet was too high or something. Or he couldn't reach the sink to wash his hands. He felt like an idiot. A bundle of nerves twisted in his stomach. He wished Iruka were here.

In order to distract himself, he went into the kitchen to contemplate breakfast.

Naruto appeared a few minutes later, climbing up into one of the kitchen chairs. He stared at Kakashi as if waiting for some sort of direction.

"Are you hungry, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, surveying the fridge. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Cereal!"

Kakashi laughed. As _if_ Iruka would allow cereal in this house. Not unless it was unsweetened fancy granola that Iruka had baked himself, which currently, they were out of.

"Well, I'm sorry to say that we don't have cereal. But we do have eggs and toast."

He moved some things around in the fridge.

"Yogurt. Fruit."

He spotted a glass bottle of maple syrup in the back.

"Or I could make pancakes?"

"Yeah, yeah! Pancakes!"

Kakashi grabbed the bottle of maple syrup, along with a jug of orange juice, out of the fridge.

"Alright. But you're going to have to help me. You gotta work if you wanna eat around here."

Kakashi froze. Wait. Did that sound threatening? Oh, _god_. He totally meant it as a joke! Do kids understand jokes like that at his age? Should he explain that he was kidding?

_Irrruukkaaa_, he silently pleaded in his mind. _Help. Me._

Naruto was completely unfazed by Kakashi's mild panic attack. He stood up from his chair, eager to help.

"Ok," he said, simply. "What do I do?"

"Uh, oh, um… can you grab the eggs from the fridge and put them on the table?" Kakashi asked, while opening an overhead cabinet to take out the (whole wheat pastry) flour.

Naruto did as he was told.

Kakashi whisked together the appropriate amount of flour, some spices, and baking powder.

"Now grab the almond milk. It's in the blue carton, on the door of the fridge."

Naruto retrieved that too.

Kakashi brought the bowl over to the table.

"Do you want to crack the eggs, Naruto?"

Naruto looked at him, his blue eyes bugging out of his head.

"I trust you," Kakashi said, patting the chair.

Naruto climbed into the chair, coming to a kneel.

"First, gently crack it on the edge of the bowl," Kakashi said, placing a different, smaller bowl, onto the table top. "We'll crack them into here first."

Naruto wrapped his fingers around a brown egg and brought it to the edge. He gave it a hard whack, causing the shell to crumble completely, the white and yolk dripping all over his hand.

"EW!" Naruto yelped, holding his hands out before making to wipe them on his shirt.

"_Don't_," Kakashi swiftly latched onto his wrists, "wipe it on your clothes," he laughed.

"Com'mere."

He picked Naruto up beneath the armpits and brought him to the sink. He lifted his knee up to let Naruto balance on his thigh.

"Rinse them off well and try again."

The next one rolled onto the ground with a splat, never even making it to the bowl, which Pakkun promptly lapped up with his tongue. After two more attempts, and lots of giggling later, Naruto finally got it right.

Kakashi pulled the chair up to the stove and motioned for Naruto to climb up again.

"You wanna help me flip them?"

Naruto nodded his head, resting his hands on the back of the chair.

Kakashi ladled the first scoop in. It sizzled hot on the pan.

"I'll do the first one, and you can do the next. See those bubbles on top?"

Naruto peered over the pan.

"Yeah."

"When it bubbles like that, you push the spatula underneath, and gently flip," Kakashi said, demonstrating. "And let it cook for a minute or so on the other side. Think you can handle that?"

Naruto nodded his head vigorously.

"I think so too."

He slipped the pancake onto a plate and ladled another one in.

"Ok, this one's all you," Kakashi said, handing him the spatula.

Naruto watched it intensely, until several bubbles formed. He scoot the spatula beneath the pancake, biting his tongue in concentration, before flipping it over. Kakashi expected him to need several trial runs, but it was almost perfect.

Naruto looked up at him in awe.

"Nice job," Kakashi praised, while grabbing a cutting board and a few ripe bananas. God help him if he didn't incorporate something fresh onto the plate. He could hear Iruka's voice inside his head, reprimanding him. _Why didn't you add bananas? There's even blueberries in the freezer that I preserved from when we picked them over the summer. _

Well, the blueberries were going to stay there. It was too late now.

Speaking of Iruka, Kakashi reached for his phone and snapped a picture of Naruto's back, kneeling on the chair in front of the stove, spatula at the ready.He sent it to his husband in a text.

"I need more," Naruto said, twisting his torso around.

Kakashi went over to ladle in the next pancake, and they did this dance for 15 more minutes, until all the pancakes were made. Miraculously, only one was a little burnt and it was Kakashi's fault. He had been distracting Naruto, who was quick to point out the blame, when he saw the darker underside.

When they were almost done eating, Kakashi's phone went off with a ding. He reached over to check the message. It was a reply from Iruka. He had sent a million crying emojis and hearts, followed by,

_there was ripe bananas on top of the fridge and blueberries in the freezer. did you use them? ;)_

Kakashi almost spit out his orange juice. Did he know him or what?

—

Iruka couldn't stop stealing glances at that photo of Naruto. The domesticity of it made his heart turn to mush. He ached to be home, to be wherever they were, not stuck at a meeting. He fidgeted in his seat, feeling anxious. It wasn't like him, to not want to be at work. He was the guy who always stayed late, going the extra mile, even if he was off the clock. He _loved_ his job. But he had… he had a child now! And he didn't want to miss out on anything. They had already cooked their first meal together! _Without_ him!

He internally groaned. He thought about what Kakashi would say, if he knew he was moping.

_You have his whole life Iruka, relax. A few hours isn't the end of the world._

Iruka sighed, reminding himself of that fact. He found it funny how imagining his husband's fake advice brought him comfort, but it did. He relaxed and turned his attention back to the present moment.

"The new fish will be arriving on Tuesday, so Amazon Rising will be closed to the public for the next few days while we transition them in," his boss continued. "And finally, our new hire starts tomorrow. His name is Juugo, and he's replacing Shizune. If you see him around the penguin cove, try and make him feel welcome. We'll be scheduling some team building activities over the next several months. That's all I've got. Any questions or comments?"

She looked down the long table of the conference room, scanning everyone's faces.

"Alright. You're dismissed."

The sound of chairs scooting back filled the room, as Iruka headed for the door.

"Iruka," she called. "Can you give me a minute?"

"Sure," he said, crossing over to the window where his boss was standing. Her back was to him, her long blonde hair hung in two low pigtails, the same way she wore it everyday.

"SeaWorld's asking for you," she said, without looking at him. "_Begging_ is more like it. They need help with one of their orcas. They're having several issues."

"You know I won't go there."

"I know. But I told them I'd ask."

"Well, you can tell them you did, and I said no."

"They would pay you generously, as they should. You're the best trainer in the field."

Iruka was used to these sort of requests, and usually he went, but he drew the line at theme parks.

"I can't, Tsunade."

She sighed.

"That's what I figured. As you wish."

Iruka turned to leave, but then he thought of a question he'd been meaning to ask.

"If I were to request vacation time, how soon could that be processed?"

"You know you have to give a month's notice. It's the same for you as it is for everyone else."

He did know that, but it was worth a shot. He wanted to take a week off when Naruto officially moved in.

"And as I recall, you've already requested this upcoming Friday and Saturday off," she added, glancing at him. "But if it's an emergency, that's a different story. You seemed distracted today, is everything alright?"

_Shit_, he thought, feeling guilty.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. I…" he hesitated, not having told his boss yet. He didn't have a specific reason why he hadn't told her, he just felt like… he didn't want to jinx it before it was legally official or something.

Well, now was as good a time as ever, he supposed.

"Actually, Kakashi and I are adopting a child. A boy."

Tsunade's face lit up for a second, before extinguishing just as quick.

"That's great, Iruka. Congratulations," she said, offering him a sad smile.

It tugged at his heart. Tsunade was hard on the outside, but she had a soft core, even if it rarely showed. He knew Tsunade had been wanting to start a family. That was, until…

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

Tsunade's partner Shizune, had accepted a job offer in Florida, as the lead wildlife veterinarian. It was a prestigious job, but it had created a rift in their relationship, at times a very _public_ one. Several staff members had overheard their heated arguments, Iruka being one of them.

Tsunade tightened her fists at her sides, not taking her eyes off the window.

Iruka placed a hand on her shoulder in consolation. He knew she wouldn't talk to him about it, but he wanted to ask anyway.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said, before taking his leave.

—

When Kakashi had finished cleaning the dishes and gotten properly dressed, he sat down on the couch next to Naruto. They kept stealing glances at each other, as if the other was some sort of strange alien they couldn't help but gawk at.

Kakashi was starting to feel like this didn't come as naturally to him, as it did to his husband. Generally speaking, Kakashi was a hard person to get to know. He was guarded and distant. Sure, cooking breakfast had gone well, but that was a _moment_. He could do moments. Moments were more like babysitting, but could he do a whole _lifetime_? Was he even qualified, with his history?

He grimaced. Much of Kakashi's teenage and young adult life were plagued by depression. And while he had it under control now, the threat of a flare up always lurked in the back of his mind. What if it resurfaced in front of Naruto? He knew what it was like to have things from your childhood imprint on your development. What if he… what if he fucked up his child? He wouldn't be able to bare it.

He felt a familiar urge irk his mind. A desire to build a wall. To build a wall and sit comfortably behind it, where no one could touch him. But, no, he wouldn't do that. That wasn't him anymore. Iruka had blasted through what he _thought_ was impenetrable steel around his heart.

No. Kakashi would let Naruto in, eventually. And once Kakashi decided to let you in, you were in for life.

Kakashi sighed, willing himself to look at Naruto.

He and Iruka usually took Pakkun for a long walk on Sundays, but he wasn't sure if Naruto would be up for that. Maybe he could take Naruto through Willowbrook? That Wildlife Rescue Center? It had a short nature trail and outdoor exhibits. It'd be more entertaining than a normal walk and it allowed dogs, as long as they were leashed.

_And they have foxes_, he thought, remembering Naruto's painted pumpkin, which Iruka had placed proudly on their doorstep.

"So what do you…"

"Can I see Sasuke?"

They had both spoken at the same time.

"Uh, well…" Kakashi started, surprised. He wasn't expecting that. He thought about it for a moment.

Sasuke still lived in the house that Itachi was raised in, which was only a ten minute walk from their apartment. Kakashi never meant to settle down in the town he grew up in, but after a brief stint of living downtown, he had decided city life was not for him. They had visited many apartments and small homes in the suburbs of Chicago, and it just so happened that the one they liked the most, was located in Kakashi's hometown. Their apartment was really just the upper half of a two story house, that had been renovated into a complete living space. It was small yet spacious, and had everything they needed. The rent was cheap and the town square was a bike ride away.

Kakashi wasn't thrilled about the prospect of interacting with Fugaku, he never was, but maybe he'd get lucky and Mikoto would answer the door.

"We can stop by and see if he's home," Kakashi said, as Naruto's face shone as bright as the sun.

—

Kakashi pressed his finger into the doorbell. When Mikoto's face came around the door, he let out a breath, not realizing he had been holding it.

"Oh, Kakashi," Mikoto smiled warmly. "Good to see you. What can I do for you?"

"Well, Naruto and I were wondering if Sasuke was around," Kakashi said, with his hands resting on Naruto's shoulders, who was chewing on the corner of his sweatshirt sleeve.

Mikoto beamed at him, indicating that she had been let in on their little secret. Itachi must have told her. Kakashi smiled in return.

"Let me see where he's at," she said, excusing herself.

A few minutes later, Sasuke appeared, clothed in a black long sleeve shirt, black basketball shorts, and white socks that were pulled up past his ankles.

Naruto dropped his sweatshirt from his face.

"Sasuke!" he grinned.

Kakashi swore he saw the corner of Sasuke's mouth twitch.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked cooly, with no sign of excitement in his voice.

"Oh, um," Naruto stuttered, looking up at Kakashi with his blue eyes, silently communicating that he needed help. What _did _he want?

Kakashi laughed.

"Naruto and I are going to Willowbrook. Would you like to join us?"

Sasuke rubbed one foot against the back of his leg lazily, hanging onto the door handle.

"That animal rescue place?" he asked, jerking his head in an attempt to clear his bangs from his eyes.

"Yep."

Sasuke sighed, looking at something in the distance, before flicking his eyes to Naruto's for a second.

"I guess."

"Great. We'll wait for you in the car."

—

Kakashi had to pull over once, before arriving at their destination. Sasuke was throwing a fit about Pakkun being in the back seat with him. He was utterly disgusted every time the dog threatened to lick him, whereas Naruto thought it was the funniest thing in the world, prompting Sasuke to be even _more_ annoyed. He had moved Pakkun to the front after that, cracking the window for him to stick his head out, the only thing tempting enough to distract him from pestering Sasuke.

Kakashi hooked the leash onto Pakkun's harness before getting out of the car and making sure the boys got down alright. They skirted to the right of a brown brick building, following a paved path that winded around the outdoor exhibits.

They passed hawks and eagles, raccoons and opossums, even a bobcat, before stopping in front of an enclosure that held two red foxes. Both of the foxes were asleep; the closest one was curled inside a niche carved out of a log.

"Why are they in a cage?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi detected a hint of sadness in his voice. He contemplated how best to explain it to an eight-year old.

"Well, you know how humans, er, _people_, have accidents sometimes? We can fall and break a leg or get cut by something. Do you know where people go when they get hurt?"

"A hospital?"

"Right. Well, animals can get hurt, too. They can break bones, get caught in a soccer net, a bird can fly into a glass window, and sometimes, sadly, they can get hit by cars. When they do get hurt, they come here."

"This is a hospital for animals?" Naruto asked, surprised.

"Yep, right there," Kakashi said, pointing to the brown brick building they had passed earlier.

"For wild animals, not for pets like dogs or cats. Animals that are only found in Illinois. But sometimes, no matter how hard the vet, um, the animal doctor tries, the animal might not heal completely or properly. Animals need a specific set of skills to be able to survive and hunt for food in the wild. If they aren't healthy enough to be released, they try and give them permanent homes here. These foxes, for example," Kakashi leaned in to read the information plaque tagged to the cage as Pakkun sniffed at the air, "one has neurological damage, and the other is missing a leg."

Kakashi glanced at the two boys. Naruto was staring at the foxes, while Sasuke's stare was glued to Kakashi in rapt attention. When their eyes met, he darted his gaze somewhere else, feigning like he wasn't interested.

"That's nice," Naruto said, breaking the silence. "That someone takes care of them. Do you think they're happy?"

"How could they be happy in a cage?" Sasuke said, kicking at a pebble on the ground. "They look bored."

"Actually, Sasuke, red foxes are mostly nocturnal. They sleep all day. As for whether or not they're happy," Kakashi began, staring at the fox in contemplation. Assigning human emotions to an animal was too anthropomorphic for him, but he wasn't about to get all technical.

"I think if they can't be in the wild, this is the next best thing."

Naruto seemed satisfied with that answer.

—

After walking by all the exhibits and through the nature trail, they had circled back around to the brown building.

"Inside those doors, there are some animals that need special temperatures to live. Do you want to go check them out? I can't bring Pakkun in, so I need to wait out here."

Kakashi wasn't sure if it was okay to let two eight-year olds wander the building unaccompanied by an adult (it probably wasn't, he knew), but he didn't want them to miss out either.

Iruka's worried face flashed inside his mind. Well, he didn't have to tell his husband _everything_.

"Yeah! Come on, Sasuke!"

Sasuke didn't say a word, letting himself be dragged away by Naruto instead.

—

Once inside, they passed a reception desk whose chair was currently empty, and a small interactive center for children; a tiny table whose surface was scattered with books and plush toys.

After venturing a little farther in, they came into a narrow room lined with glass aquariums and wire mesh cages built into the walls. One side housed small birds, the other amphibians and reptiles. Naruto ran to a tank with a picture of a frog on the front.

"Sasuke! Look!" Naruto said, sitting down onto the cold tile to get a better view.

Sasuke crouched down beside him.

"Wait. I don't see anything!" Naruto pouted.

"It's right there," Sasuke said, unimpressed.

"Huh?"

"Beneath that leaf. On the ground."

"_Where?_" Naruto whined.

Sasuke picked up Naruto's finger and poked it into the glass.

"_There_, idiot."

Naruto focused in, still not seeing anything, getting ready to whine again, when suddenly…

"Ha!" he exclaimed, moving excitedly, knocking over Sasuke from his crouch in the process.

"Can't you control your emotions?" Sasuke asked, getting up to rub at his butt. "That's the second time you've knocked me over with your stupid outbursts."

"Sorry I'm not a mopey jerk!"

"I don't _mope_," Sasuke sneered.

"Mopey jerk," Naruto repeated, his laughter echoing throughout the hall.

Sasuke fisted the front of Naruto's shirt in his hand, when a volunteer approached them from behind.

"Hi, boys. Everything ok over here? Where are your parents?"

"My da.. um, my… someone…" Naruto stuttered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Sasuke watched Naruto's face contort as he struggled to put into words who Kakashi was. He felt bad for Naruto. Or, wait, that wasn't right. It wasn't pity he felt, it was more like… he was _mad _at the world, knowing Naruto had gone through life alone. And you know what, he was _mad_ at this stupid volunteer too, for asking Naruto about parents.

"He's waiting for us outside," Sasuke snapped, letting go of Naruto's t-shirt. "He has a dog. He couldn't come in."

Sasuke glared at the young man, daring him to kick them out.

"Oh, well… I can show you around then. We have some snakes over here. I could take one out…" the volunteer suggested, already lifting the top off the tank.

Both boys crowded in closely. Naruto jumped back, latching onto Sasuke's arm, when the snake's tongue darted out of it's mouth.

"Do you want to hold it?"

Sasuke reached out his arm in response, trying to shrug Naruto off his other one.

"Naruto, let _go_."

The volunteer put his arm next to Sasuke's, and the snake glided over.

"You can put your hand in front of it's face, to prompt it to keep moving."

Sasuke did, and the snake switched arms, coiling up and around his wrist.

Naruto gaped at Sasuke, as if he was the coolest person in the world.

"This is a Dekay's brown snake. They don't get much bigger than this, the average size being about a foot long."

"What do they eat?" Naruto asked quietly, chewing on his sweatshirt again.

"Blonde-headed little boys," Sasuke smirked, as the snake switched hands.

"He couldn't swallow me! I'm too big," Naruto replied.

"Well, obviously, idiot," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes.

"Then why did you—!"

"They eat mostly insects and earthworms," the volunteer cut in, moving to take the snake from Sasuke, in case the boys decided to wrestle again. He gently put the snake away and led them over to a glass window.

"Here is our nursery, where you can see some of the staff taking care of the baby animals."

Naruto pressed his hands to the glass, watching a woman in a smock feeding a tiny squirrel with a syringe. She smiled, noticing them, and moved closer to the window, so they could get a better look.

Naruto watched as the squirrel sucked and pulled at the rubber nipple, kneading it's paws into the side of the syringe.

"Where are it's mom and dad?" Naruto asked.

"We get a lot of orphans. If something happens to the mom, we raise them here, until they are old enough to go out on their own."

Naruto bit his lip in silent understanding.

Sasuke watched Naruto out of the corner of his eye. Something happened to him when Naruto got sad. Something in his chest. Something that made the bottom of his throat feel like it was swelling shut. He attempted to soothe it by swallowing, before reaching out to tug at a piece of blonde hair at the back of Naruto's neck.

"Let's go. Kakashi's waiting."

—

Sasuke spent the whole drive home silently staring out the window, as Naruto rattled on to Kakashi about the frogs and snakes. He kept thinking about Naruto's face, when asked about his parents. He couldn't get it out of his mind. Sasuke's parents weren't the most affectionate, and they were far from perfect, but they were still _his_. He still loved them. But Naruto… Naruto didn't have anyone to love, or anyone to love him back.

He brought his eyes to the silver-gray hair on the back of Kakashi's head. He'd known Kakashi since he was a baby, so it was kind of weird, thinking of him as a dad, especially since he was much younger than Sasuke's own father.

"I'm going to walk Sasuke to the door, Naruto. Stay here with Pakkun," Kakashi said, jostling Sasuke out of his thoughts.

"'Kay," Naruto said. "Bye Snake boy!"

"Idiot," Sasuke murmured, as he unfastened his seatbelt.

Once he was out of the car though, he allowed himself to smile.

When they reached the front door, Sasuke turned to Kakashi.

"Are you going to adopt Naruto?" Sasuke asked him, seriously.

Kakashi blinked at him, surprised by his bluntness.

"Uh, well, yes."

Sasuke relaxed his fists at the answer, not realizing he had tightened them in the first place.

"Would you like that, Sasuke?" Kakashi grinned, giving him a knowing look.

Sasuke's cheeks flushed the faintest of pinks.

"Tch. Doesn't matter to me. I was just wondering," he said, before opening the door and going inside.

Kakashi stared at the door that had just been shut in his face.

_Well, this is interesting_, he thought before turning on his heel towards the car.


	6. Chapter 6

**06.**

_Note: hold onto your pants! because these men sure didn't. the bulk of this -entire- chapter (& it's a long one!) is NSFW hehehe. So, if you'd rather not read spicy scenes in public, you might want to wait till you're home to read this XD as kakashi would say, I'm not sorry._

_the first scene is written to IDER's "Brown Sugar" [live], if ya wanna give it a listen. here are some relevant lyrics: _

_Remember when you made me feel less_

_I'd be feelin' kind of anxious every time I undress_

_but I don't really worry about it now_

_I don't really wanna worry about it now_

_feel you feeding me, keeping it right_

_now you love me better than ever_

_and i'm fillin' you with light_

_can't believe what you mean to me now_

_we've been feeling so connected, wanna say it out loud_

_hold me right up, watch me light up_

_love the side of us when you and I laugh_

_sugar on my tongue, you put the air in my lungs_

_you make my blood sweet in the morning_

_with my buttons undone_

_take me higher, love me wider_

_sweet saliva, and I just wanna lie_

_i'm not shy yeah, I don't need to try, yeah_

_I'm in your fire, and I think that I could die._

—

"This is going to be the longest we've gone without seeing Naruto," Iruka said, as he was putting the last of his clothes into his suitcase, every piece neatly rolled and folded.

It was a Wednesday evening, and they were leaving for Puerto Rico tomorrow night through the weekend. Iruka's cousin was getting married, and while he didn't go back for every event like this, (Iruka's family was _huge)_, he tried to make it to some.

"Naruto's not going to think we abandoned him," Kakashi said, reading his husband's mind, without looking up from what he was actually reading.

Iruka pulled the book out of his hand, and came to straddle him on the bed.

"You need to pack."

"It's only for three days. It'll take me five minutes."

He went to reach for the book again, but Iruka held it over his head, before placing it on the night table.

"You work all day tomorrow. And then we'll be late going to the airport because you forgot something in your five minute spree."

Kakashi gave Iruka a playful push to the chest. Iruka latched onto his wrist with both of his hands, anchoring his palm there.

"_Don't_ forget your sun screen. We won't be able to find that brand there. I'll clothe you from head to toe before I slather that chemical slop on you."

"How is 'slather me in slop' the most unsexy phrase, and yet it arouses me coming from your perfect fucking mouth?" Kakashi asked, taking Iruka's chin between his fingers, eying his lips hungrily.

Iruka smirked at him, his long hair pulled halfway back, with the rest of it cascading over his shoulders. He pulled Kakashi's glasses off him.

"Is this a new fantasy of yours?" Iruka teased, rocking his hips forward.

"One I didn't know I had," Kakashi said, squeezing Iruka's hip bones. "But maybe something other than 'slop'… like… chocolate sauce."

"Chocolate sauce? _Que carajo_," Iruka laughed, leaning back a little. "You don't even like sweets."

"_I_ won't be the one eating it."

"Hm," Iruka said, raking his fingers down Kakashi's chest.

He brought his mouth to kiss up Kakashi's neck.

"I'd happily lick _anything_ off your skin," Iruka whispered into his ear, swiping his tongue up the shell of it.

Kakashi captured his mouth in a kiss, threading both of his hands in Iruka's long hair. Iruka responded in kind, pushing Kakashi against the headboard. Kakashi's fingers traveled around to his lower back, slipping beneath his shirt, before dipping lower to grab at his ass.

Iruka cupped his husband's face, running his hands down his shoulders, stopping to dig his fingers into his biceps.

"_Ah_," Kakashi grimaced against his mouth, breaking the kiss.

"_Que pasó?_ Are you sore?" Iruka asked, smoothing his hands over the curves of his muscles. Kakashi was wearing a snug, long sleeve shirt, but even so, Iruka could picture his husband's body perfectly beneath the fabric. He had it memorized.

"I may have trained a little too hard at the Academy yesterday, to make up for the days I've missed."

"You know muscle development doesn't work like that right? It's slow," he rubbed himself teasingly slow against Kakashi, "and steady."

Kakashi brought his hands down to rest on Iruka's thighs.

"You need to pace yourself," Iruka said, increasing his speed ever so slightly.

"Is that so?" Kakashi asked, amused that he was giving him advice on how to stay fit, when they both knew he didn't need it. But he decided to play along.

"And what'll happen if I go too fast?" he asked, bringing his tattooed hand up to Iruka's throat, lightly encircling it with his fingers.

"_Uh_," Iruka breathed out, finding this completely erotic, "you won't last. You'll burn out."

Iruka brought his hand up to Kakashi's outstretched arm and gave his bicep a hard squeeze, while simultaneously rocking his hips down into him.

"_Ow_," Kakashi cursed, before pulling Iruka to him by the throat. He held him beneath his jaw, inches from his own mouth.

A gasp of surprised pleasure escaped from Iruka's lips.

"You know, for as sweet as you are, there's a little devil inside you."

Iruka smiled beneath his grip.

"It's not that little."

"No?" Kakashi inquired.

Iruka bit at his own lip, narrowing his eyes in challenge. Kakashi took the bait.

In one swift movement, Kakashi pinned Iruka to the bed beneath his hips, his hand never leaving his throat.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to find out," he said, slipping his other hand below the hem of Iruka's pants.

"Hm. No, not that little," Kakashi hummed into his ear as he started to stroke him.

He felt Iruka swallow hard beneath his palm, arching into the touch.

Iruka closed his eyes, running his tongue across his own lips. Melting into the warmth that was starting to wash over his body.

_Fuck_, was Kakashi good at this. He knew exactly what he liked, but then again, Kakashi excelled at _everything_ in the bedroom. The first time they had sex, it blew Iruka's mind. He didn't know men could be so… _intimate_. All of his previous experiences focused solely on the final act, were driven more by carnal desire. But with Kakashi, even though they definitely had their wild moments, it was steeped in sweetness. In attentiveness. In foreplay as much as in fucking.

For a long time, Iruka was self-conscious about his ability, afraid he couldn't give Kakashi_ half _as much pleasure as he gave him. He was over that now. Kakashi had seen to it. He had cracked Iruka open and sucked out all of his self-doubt.

Kakashi removed his hand from Iruka's throat, trailing his fingers over his adam's apple, before coming to pinch at his nipple. He sunk into the bed beside Iruka, planting a kiss to the corner of his mouth, before Iruka turned his head to meet him. He parted his lips, teasing Kakashi's tongue with his own. When Kakashi plunged his tongue in deep, Iruka let out a low moan, a fire swirling hot in his groin.

Kakashi continued to pump him as they made out; sucking and biting at each other's lips.

All of a sudden, Kakashi removed his hand from his pants, and Iruka's body _reeled_ at the loss of contact.

"Well, you said I needed to pack. I better go do that."

"_Fuck you_," Iruka laughed breathlessly, in disbelief.

He brought a leg up to wrap around Kakashi's waist, pulling him back down.

"Or _fuck me_ is more like it."

Kakashi braced himself with his arms, hovering above Iruka's body on all fours.

"But it'll only take 5 minutes."

"For you to fuck me, or for you to pack?"

Kakashi laughed, shaking his head.

"Smartass," he said, latching onto the hem of Iruka's sweats before giving them a hard yank.

"I _could_ get you off in five minutes," Kakashi said, bringing his mouth down to tug at Iruka's briefs with his teeth. It hit back against his skin with a snap.

"But…" Kakashi ran his tongue along Iruka's dick, which was visibly hard through the fabric, "I think I'll take your advice. Slow," he dragged a few fingers lightly up the inside of Iruka's thigh, brushing them against the back of his balls, "and steady."

Iruka pressed his shoulders into the mattress, regretting having said that earlier, when all he wanted now, was for Kakashi to get straight to it. _He_ had meant to be the tease, but somehow, the roles had been reversed. (Okay, so he knew _how_. Getting him to submit to Kakashi was easier than he'd like to admit).

Kakashi was going to drag this out as long as possible, he knew.

"Mhm. I'm going to make you beg for it, baby," Kakashi said, seeing the realization wash over Iruka's face. "Two can play at this game."

Kakashi pulled Iruka up from the bed by the front of his shirt, before removing it completely, and gave him a kiss.

"Turn over," he whispered against his mouth, as Iruka felt the last of his free will slip away.

Yeah, no. Iruka wasn't even a contender. Kakashi had already won, and they had barely even started.

Iruka flipped onto his stomach, throwing the pillow that was beneath his head, onto the floor.

Kakashi straddled his lower back, dragging his fingers lightly down Iruka's sides, causing goosebumps to break out all over his skin. He leaned over and pushed his face into Iruka's hair, inhaling the smell of his husband. A smell that had become so familiar to him, that had become such a part of him, he swore it swam in his very blood. The smell of _home_. It was still intoxicating, after all these years.

He moved Iruka's hair to one side, biting at his exposed ear.

"Why are you still wearing this?" Iruka whined, reaching around to tug at Kakashi's shirt. He wanted to feel his husband's skin against his.

"Because it's cold in here," Kakashi said, matter-of-factly.

"And what about me? I'm practically naked," Iruka teased, bending his leg back to kick at Kakashi with his heel.

Kakashi latched onto Iruka's ankle, before it could drop back down to the bed. He placed a kiss to the bottom of his foot and Iruka felt it spark all over his body.

"Am I suppose to feel bad about that?" Kakashi laughed, releasing his leg, before removing his own shirt. "Because I don't."

He dropped his body into Iruka, sliding his hands along the back of his husband's arms, which were bent near his head. Iruka breathed heavily under the weight, relishing in the warmth of Kakashi's skin, as well as the feel of his hard dick against his ass. He pushed his pelvis up, eager for more.

Kakashi sunk his teeth into the flesh of Iruka's shoulder, before rising up to kiss the nape of his neck.

He could feel the cold silver of Kakashi's necklace against his back, a long chain that ended in a pendant in the shape of a small lightening bolt. It dragged along his skin as Kakashi kissed every vertebrate of his spine. Every time Kakashi's lips hit his skin, it tingled, sending waves of electricity to every inch of him. Iruka thought he was going to stop, when he reached his tailbone, so when his husband dove his _face_ into his _ass_, Iruka clutched the comforter in surprise.

_Why the fuck is my underwear still on?_ he cursed inside his mind, but couldn't bring himself to move. He couldn't bring himself to disrupt Kakashi's focus or influence his flow. He wanted to live inside this moment, for however long it lasted, wherever Kakashi wanted to take it. As much as he loved hot, rough sex, there was _nothing_ like making love with someone you're in love with. It just didn't compare.

When Kakashi came back up to his face, Iruka reached around to wind a hand in his hair, pulling on it lightly, as they kissed over his shoulder.

Kakashi ground down into his ass, falling into a rhythmic thrust, his breath shuddering against Iruka's ear from the effort. Iruka moved his body in response, rubbing his own self against the bed. He dug his fingers into the sheets and pulled, trying to get more traction. He didn't need it though, because Kakashi's thrusts become more desperate, rocking him into the bed, smashing his face into the mattress. Kakashi let out a throaty groan, one that was so deep it reverberated inside Iruka's own chest. The both of them had started to sweat, Kakashi's abdomen was sliding slick against his back.

Iruka attempted to suck the saliva that had escaped his mouth, back in.

_I'm drooling_, _for fuck's sake,_ he thought, writhing against the bed.

He attempted to get up and turn around, wanting to feel Kakashi's erection against his, but he never made it past his elbows because Kakashi pushed him back down roughly, pressing his palm hard between his shoulder blades.

He brought his mouth to Iruka's ear, showering it with a series of wet kisses, sucking the lobe into his mouth. He nibbled on it with his teeth.

Iruka's body was on _fire_. He broke.

"_Por favor_," he pleaded.

Kakashi let out a soft, arrogant laugh against his ear, before lifting himself from Iruka. He pulled him up by the hips, so his ass was sticking straight in the air.

Iruka heard the familiar sound of a drawer opening and a condom being unwrapped. When he felt Kakashi's hand on the band of his briefs, he reached out and grabbed his wrist, before shifting his position. He turned around to find Kakashi had shed the rest of his clothes.

"Can we face each other?" Iruka asked, not being shy about where his eye's had landed. He brought his gaze up to meet Kakashi's. He felt an intense craving to watch an orgasm wash over his husband's features.

Kakashi smiled, bringing Iruka's hand to his mouth to kiss his palm, before sucking on one of his fingers. Iruka closed his eyes in pleasure. He wondered if it was as hard for Kakashi to control himself as it was for him.

"You know I love giving you what you want," Kakashi replied, smugly.

Iruka snatched the condom out of Kakashi's hand, his patience having worn out at his words, to roll it on Kakashi himself. He applied the lube much more meticulously then necessary, pumping and squeezing his husband. He saw the muscles in Kakashi's arms twitch, as if he were restraining himself from shoving Iruka onto the mattress.

_Ha_, Iruka thought in triumph, before moving to lie down.

Kakashi fell into him, bearing his weight on his arms, as he pushed himself inside Iruka with care. When he almost filled him completely, he began to thrust, causing Iruka to dig his fingers into his back. He brought one hand to the back of Kakashi's neck, which was damp with sweat, and the other rested on his own chest. It was taking all his strength not to drop it down and touch himself, but he didn't want to finish too far ahead of Kakashi. He was already on the brink of his orgasm, watching his husband move his hips, mesmerized by the fluidity of it. He moved his hand up to grip and pull at his hair.

Kakashi's necklace swung between the two of them, coming dangerously close to hitting Iruka in the face. Both of them laughed, before Iruka picked up the pendant and pushed it inside Kakashi's mouth. The effect was better than he had imagined. Now, Kakashi had to breathe around it in hard bursts, as if he were gagged. Iruka found it _incredibly_ sexy. He made a mental note to remember that.

_My arms are fucking_ _burning, _Kakashi thought, struggling to remain in this position. He was _so_ close, and he knew Iruka was too, buthis muscles were starting to protest and give out. They were shaking beyond his control.

"_Fuck_," Kakashi laughed, the necklace falling out of his mouth with a string of saliva, as he dropped down to his elbows, never missing a beat with his thrusts. He pressed his forehead into Iruka's shoulder.

When he was mere seconds away, he lifted his head, remembering Iruka's request, and locked eyes with his husband as his orgasm rocketed out of him with a loud moan.

The sight (and sound) of it, pushed Iruka over the edge too, and they bucked together, riding out the remaining waves, before falling limp against one another.

Kakashi pulled out and rolled onto his back, his chest still heaving from catching his breath. He shook his arms out above his head, attempting to bring any sort of relief to his biceps.

"I didn't think I was going to make it," he laughed, as Iruka came to cradle his head on his chest, placing a kiss to his clavicle, before Kakashi dropped his arms around him.

Iruka closed his eyes, listening to the sound of his husband's heart beat, thumping hard beneath his ear. He wanted to fall asleep, just like this, with Kakashi's hand threading through his hair. But as the heat of their sex was leaving, Iruka felt a chill set in. Kakashi must have felt it too, because he shifted beneath him.

"_Nooo_", Iruka whimpered. "I don't want to move."

He climbed on top of Kakashi, and let his weight fall dead against him.

"Yeah, well, you don't want to get sick either," Kakashi said, pushing Iruka's hair behind his ear, to plant a kiss to his temple. "And, you _just _moved."

Iruka turned his head to dig his chin into Kakashi's chest, glaring at him. Kakashi laughed, putting a hand over Iruka's face in response.

"Come on. Let's take a warm shower and go to bed."

—

As it turns out, they _weren't_ late getting to the airport, but only because Iruka had secretly packed Kakashi's toiletry bag and thrown it in his suitcase before they left. He wanted to see how long it would take, before Kakashi realized he forgot it. It was 20 minutes after they pulled out of the driveway.

They were in the rental car, on the way to their hotel, having landed an hour ago. It was near 10 PM, the palm trees that lined the road were currently indecipherable, as well as the ocean.

Iruka was driving, since Kakashi's mild tranquilizers hadn't worn off yet. There wasn't much Kakashi was afraid of, but put him on a plane, and watch his pale skin turn even paler. Iruka was usually the anxious one, but he found flying oddly peaceful, being forced to accept the complete lack of control. That's exactly what Kakashi _hated_ about it. He wasn't a fan of anything that took his feet off the ground.

Iruka's phone started to ring.

"Can you get it? I bet it's my Mom."

Kakashi rifled through Iruka's satchel and pulled out his phone.

"You're right."

"Put it on speaker."

Kakashi did as he was told.

"_Hola Mami._"

"_Llegaste bien?_"

(You arrived alright?)

"_Si, estamos de camino_."

(Yes, we're on the road.)

"_Gracias a dios. A nuestra casa?_"

(Thank god. To our house?)

"_No, el hotel._"

"_Pero nene, por que_? Stay with us."

(But child, why?)

"I told you why."

"_Si, quieres tu privacidad, yo sé. Pero los hoteles están caros y tu vas a tener un niño, Iruka_. You have to save your money. _No quiero que a mi _grand-baby _le falte nada_."

(You want your privacy, I know. But the hotels are expensive and you're going to have a child, Iruka. You have to save your money. I don't want my grand-baby to lack anything.)

"_Estamos bien_. This trip isn't breaking our bank. "

(We're fine.)

"I bet you can still cancel, _llamalos_." (Call them.)

Usually, Iruka's patience was never-ending, but he was getting frustrated. He was tired, hungry, and dehydrated from traveling. The perfect recipe for being cranky. Plus, he had had this _exact _conversation with his mother a million times, when planning this trip. He was over it.

"_Tu quieres oír a tu hijo teniendo sexo, mami? Porque eso es lo que va a pasar_ if Kakashi and I stay there."

(Do you want to hear your son having sex, mom? Because that's what's going to happen if Kakashi and I stay there.)

"Oh my god_, Iruka,_" Kakashi hissed quietly.

"_Ay bendito_. Fine. _Llámame cuando tengas tiempo pa' tu familia._"

(Call me when you have time for your family.)

With that, she hung up.

"She acts like we don't live 45 minutes away from each other," Iruka said, irritated.

Iruka's parents still lived in the house he grew up in, in Chicago. They would have traveled together, but Iruka's parents decided to go a few days ahead of them. They still had a house in Puerto Rico, since they spent time there every winter.

"But did you have to tell her we'd be fucking, like… _jesus_." Kakashi said, adjusting his baseball cap.

"_Pues, es la verdad!_ (Well, It's the truth!) This is our last vacation without Naruto. I plan on taking full advantage of that. Of you," he smirked, taking his eyes off the road for a second to raise an eyebrow at Kakashi.

Kakashi shook his head.

"You're too much sometimes."

"Please, don't act like you're modest," Iruka teased. "_Esa es una gran mentira_." (Because that's a lie.)

"I'd fuck you anywhere, in front of almost anyone. But I draw the line at my in-laws." Kakashi joked.

"Be careful what you say, sweetheart. I'm going to remember that."

—

After eating breakfast at the hotel, which Iruka complained about (_why are they serving us cantaloupe and grapes? we're in puerto rico, for christ's sake_), they stopped at a local bakery to pick up some sandwiches for lunch later in the day. They had just arrived at the pier, and were unloading things from the car onto the boat.

When everything was transferred, Iruka pulled out a knife and cutting board, breaking down the papaya, bananas, and pineapple, that he insisted on buying from a roadside vender, so it would fit more easily in the cooler.

When he was finished, he fired up the engine. They didn't own it, but they had rented it in year's past, for the same reason. Today, they were going to _Caja de Muerto_, a small island off the south side of Puerto Rico. It was a tourist attraction, which Iruka hated, but the water was exquisite and crystal clear (Kakashi refused to go in the water with copious amounts of seaweed. It gave him the creeps). It was also one of the only beaches that prohibited music. There was nothing Iruka loathed more, than _reggaeton_ overpowering the natural sound of the waves and birds.

Like planes, Kakashi wasn't a fan of boats, but it was something he had to get over if he wanted to be Iruka's husband. Being married to a marine biologist, meant you had to like being on the water. There was no way around it, unless he wanted to spend considerably less time with his husband. At least he didn't get nauseas anymore. Just to be safe, he popped a ginger candy into his mouth, as Iruka pulled out of the pier and began to steer them in the right direction.

Kakashi looked out over the water, contemplating all the stray dogs he had seen on their drive to the pier this morning. It broke his heart and made him think about work. He'd been working for the Humane Society for a little over a year now. Before that, he had built his own dog shelter from scratch, having been unsatisfied with the quality and care of local shelters and adoption centers. He ran it successively for five years, passing it over into other hands, when he took this new position. He still helped with some management aspects at the shelter, stopping in every other week, to make sure it was running smoothly.

He liked his new job, but he couldn't deny that it was emotionally taxing. Raising dogs in a shelter and trying to get them adopted, was also emotionally taxing, but in a different way. With the Humane Society, he was constantly investigating cases of hard neglect and abuse. It took a toll on his soul, and often, he found himself feeling depressed. The only reason he took the job in the first place, was because he was _really_ good at it. Not dealing with the abusers (he couldn't do that, his anger would flare real quick), but getting scared, skiddish, or highly aggressive dogs, to calm into submission without using force.

He knew it was important work, but he also… wasn't sure how long he could do it, for his own mental health. Iruka had already voiced his concern, having seen Kakashi cry after an especially hard day. But if Kakashi wasn't working in animal control, he didn't know _what_ he'd do. He couldn't go back to the shelter and demote the person he appointed. Iruka had suggested that he could easily put his skills into dog training, but it didn't pay much, and that's something they had to consider now.

He _could_ dedicate himself to being an MMA athlete, many coaches had approached him to tell him so. But he wouldn't do that to Iruka. He came near fainting every time he saw Kakashi fight.

_Maybe I should just become a stripper_, he thought jokingly. He knew that was one of Iruka's secret fantasies.

He turned his attention to Iruka's back, who stood in front of the wheel. He loved seeing Iruka here, not just in Puerto Rico, but on the ocean. He just… _fit_. Like he was part of the landscape. He wondered (more than once), if they'd ever move or retire somewhere near water. In Chicago, they had Lake Michigan, but it wasn't the same. Kakashi knew Iruka's first love was the sea. Iruka turned around, motioning for Kakashi to come over.

"Can you grab my Ray Bans for me?" he asked, shouting over the sound of the engine.

Kakashi did and placed them on his husband's face, followed by a kiss. He stood beside him, winding his arm's around his waist, resting his chin on his shoulder, as the island crept closer and closer.

—

They were the only ones there. The advantage of having your own boat, meant you could go whenever you wanted. The boat that ferried the tourists wouldn't arrive for another hour. It was the main reason Kakashi hadn't protested about being woken up so early. It was like having your own private island.

Kakashi grabbed their chairs and umbrella, along with the bag that held their towels, and headed for the sand. Iruka followed shortly behind him, after he finished tying up the boat.

"_Que hermosa_," Iruka said, plopping the cooler down on the sand.

It was definitely beautiful. The sand was white, and the water was the color of turquoise. They chose a spot on the far end of the beach, next to a rocky alcove on their left, lizards scrambling all over it. Kakashi pitched the umbrella, before sinking into a chair, as Iruka removed his scuba gear from his backpack.

He watched as Iruka undid the bun on top of his head, letting his hair cascade down, before twisting it into a loose braid. His eyes roved over his husband's fit body, his defined chest and abs. Iruka's swimsuit was more like spandex, ending at the bottom of his calves. He happily devoured his legs, too.

"I can feel your stare," Iruka said.

"Well, with a body like _that…_" Kakashi said, playfully pulling down his aviators to peer at his husband over the top of the frames, "…what do you expect?"

"It's not nice to objectify your spouse," Iruka teased, readjusting his necklace. It was a black cord with a shark's tooth attached to it.

"I'm not sorry," Kakashi said, leaning back into the chair with his hands behind his head. "Plus, your bathing suit is like the bottom half of your wet suit, and you know what that does to me."

Iruka dropped to his knees in the warm sand, in front of Kakashi.

"I know that look," Kakashi said, as Iruka scooted himself between his legs, "and you accuse _me_ of objectification?"

"Well, with a cock like _yours_, what do you except?" Iruka teased, throwing Kakashi's words back at him.

"I could give you head, right here," Iruka said, undoing the string of Kakashi's swim trunks. "Right now."

Kakashi's stomach tightened as he entertained the idea. That would be _hot_, but it also made him feel oddly vulnerable, all out in the open. He looked into his husband's face—his eyes were smoldering, sunlight glinting off the stud of his nose ring, his braid draped over his shoulder.

_Fuck_, if Iruka wasn't so damn _sexy_, this decision wouldn't be so _hard_.

Iruka was still pulling on the strings of his suit, causing it to open up at the hem, revealing the barest hint of Kakashi's pubic hair.

"Come on, there's no one here. I thought you loved giving me what I want," Iruka taunted him.

He rose up tall on his knees, pressing his bare chest against Kakashi's.

"_Te quiero en mi boca_," Iruka whispered, cupping Kakashi's crotch with his hand.

(I want you in my mouth)

"You think you can just murmur Spanish in my ear and I'll crumble?" Kakashi asked, already getting aroused.

Iruka knew full well that he would.

"_Quiero poner mis labios alrededor tu bicho*, Kakashi._"

(I want to put my lips around your dick, Kakashi.)

_Shit_, Kakashi thought, feeling himself harden.

Kakashi flicked his eyes over the water, noticing a speck in the distance. He needed to make a decision, and he needed to make it now. He flicked his eyes back to Iruka, who was staring at him intensely.

_Ugh_. Fuck it. He wanted this.

"Okay, but if someone sees us through binoc—_uh, hngh_" was all Kakashi managed to say before Iruka's mouth was on him. He had pulled Kakashi's dick out of his trunks the moment he heard him utter "okay".

It was fast and rough, but Kakashi was into that. Kakashi was into _whatever_ Iruka did or wanted to try. He kneaded his fingers into Iruka's shoulders, watching as he disappeared into his lover's mouth, over and over again.

Iruka let Kakashi fall out of his mouth slowly, before he grabbed his shaft and ran his tongue flat a long the side of him, bringing his eyes up to bore into Kakashi's own, when he encircled his tip.

"_Jesus_," Kakashi breathed out, before his head fell back against the chair.

It didn't take him long to come. All he had to think about was that look in Iruka's eyes, one that was filled with lust and love and mischief and _fuck_, it was so hot. He remembered the days when Iruka used to be shy about sex. The first time they slept together, Iruka was so nervous, he was shaking.

Kakashi smiled to himself.

Those days were long gone now.

—

The boat filled with tourists and a few scattered locals arrived a half hour later. Kakashi paid them no mind, engrossed in his book, feeling _exceptionally_ relaxed. Iruka had left for the water a while ago, bringing his scuba gear with him.

—

Kakashi awoke to water dropping on his skin. He opened his eyes to find Iruka before him, squeezing his wet braid over his chest.

"Were you asleep?" Iruka laughed.

"I must have drifted off," Kakashi said, taking off his sunglasses to rub at his eyes.

"Someone wore me out," he said, squinting up at his husband, appreciating the sight of his glistening wet body.

Iruka smiled at him in return.

"Come into the water with me," he said, holding out his hand.

Kakashi took it and let himself be hoisted up.

They walked into the water together, only breaking their hands when it came up to their hips. Iruka dove under, and Kakashi let his legs give out, the gentle waves lapping at his shoulders. He submersed himself once, before smoothing his wet hair back with his hands.

Iruka swam up behind him, wrapping his arms and legs around his body. Kakashi anchored him there, supporting his weight by hooking his arms behind his knees. He was light as a feather in the water.

"I wonder if Naruto likes the water," Iruka said, pressing his cheek into the back of Kakashi's shoulder.

"Well, he better, if he's going to be a part of this family," Kakashi joked.

"I want to put him in swimming lessons at our gym right away."

"You don't want to teach him yourself? You're more than qualified."

"I guess I could, but at least in a class he'd be with other kids. I have this fear that it's going to be hard for him to make friends, I don't know why. I know he has Sasuke and they'll be going to the same school but…" Iruka sighed. "I wish he wouldn't call Naruto an idiot all the time. It gets under my skin."

Kakashi laughed, planting a kiss to one of the arms wrapped about his neck, tasting the salt on his lips.

"I don't think he means any harm, Iruka. Coming from Sasuke, I think that's a term of endearment honestly. I don't know. I told you about the other day at Willowbrook. I think he cares about Naruto more than he wants to admit or maybe more than he even knows himself. Sasuke's always been antisocial. Itachi's astounded that he's even _tolerating_ Naruto."

"I don't want Naruto to feel like he's being _tolerated,_" Iruka said, letting go of his husband and swimming around to face him. "He's such a sweet kid, and I don't know, people take advantage of that sometimes."

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair in thought.

"School can be tough. Kids can be cruel. We both know that. All we can do is be there for him, if he needs us."

Iruka sighed, before his face broke into an enormous grin, revealing the dimples at each corner of his mouth.

"We're going to be fathers," he said, cupping his hands over his face, before splashing water playfully at his husband.

—

Kakashi had managed to walk away from the beach yesterday without any sign of sunburn, a major accomplishment. Iruka's skin, on the other hand, had turned a shade darker.

They had just finished getting dressed and had entered the elevator.

"Do you think we're going to need a bigger place?" Iruka asked, pushing the button for the lobby. "What are we going to do with all the stuff we have to move out of Naruto's room?"

"I think it'll be fine. We can leave Naruto the desk and one of the armchairs. We can give the other one to Rin, if we can't find a place for it, she's always loved them. I think there's space in the sitting room and our bedroom for the rest of it. Besides," he said, pulling Iruka to him by the open sides of his cardigan. "I love our apartment. It has a lot of memories. I don't want to move."

He kissed Iruka on the lips.

"Since when are you so sentimental?" Iruka teased.

"Since I married you. You look good," he smirked, kissing him again, as the elevator doors opened with a ding.

A man in a business suit was waiting on the other side, a clear sign of disgust washing over his face as he saw them pull a part. Kakashi gave Iruka's ass a hard slap, making a point to wink at the stranger, as they walked past him into the lobby.

—

The wedding was at an _hacienda_ in the country, about an hour's drive from where they were staying. Iruka was at the wheel, since Kakashi was a little uncomfortable navigating the narrow, windy, mountain roads. Just as they were about to get off the highway, Kakashi asked Iruka to pull over. The minute Iruka saw it, he knew this would happen.

"Kakashi.." Iruka said, putting on his signal. "It's in the middle of the highway, how are you going to…"

"If I don't, people are going to keep running over it," Kakashi said sharply, turning around in his seat to look for something, _anything_, he could use. He spotted a neglected newspaper that Iruka had grabbed yesterday morning. He picked it up.

"And I can't let that happen," he said, before opening his car door.

Iruka turned on his hazards as he watched his husband cross onto the busy highway, to the sound of many irritated horns blaring. Iruka's heart hammered in his chest as he gripped at the steering wheel. He swore to fucking _god_, if anyone hit his husband… But he knew better than to stop Kakashi.

Kakashi put a page of newspaper in each hand and then grabbed the front and back legs of the dog that was lying dead in the middle of the road, his stomach turning over at the sight of it. He picked it up and placed it in some tall grass on the edge of the highway. He knew he must look ridiculous, dangling this creature, in front of his dress clothes, across a busy road, but you know what, he didn't fucking care. He knew if he didn't move it, it would rot there.

He felt anger rising up inside him. He understood that accidents happened, but unfortunately, this was a common sight, and the municipality never came to collect them. He'll never forgot when an old man told them to hit a dog that was in their path, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, when they had slowed down their car to let it pass. Kakashi had ranted at him for a good solid minute in English, only to find out the guy hadn't understand a word he said.

He placed the newspaper over the dog, silently asking for forgiveness, before making his way back to the car.

When he returned to his seat, Iruka said nothing, resting a hand on Kakashi's thigh in consolation instead.

—

The ceremony was beautiful. It was held outside, overlooking the mountains. The reception hall was on the second floor of a enormous colonial style home, still retaining it's Spanish architecture, with a balcony that wrapped all the way around.

Iruka was standing in between his mother and Kakashi, leaning on the railing, looking out over the landscape. It was scattered with banana plants, coffee, and fruits trees. A giant _flamboyan_ stood in the distance, it's orange flowers looking like fire in the setting sun.

"_Abuela_," Iruka said, leaning down to kiss his grandmother's cheek as she approached. "_Tanto tiempo, cómo estas? Tu recuerdas a Kakashi?_" (It's been a long time, how are you? You remember Kakashi?)

"_Hola_," Kakashi said, bending over to greet her in the same way. "_Que bueno verte_." (It's good to see you.)

"_Ah sí, tu amigo tan_ _guapo_," (Ah yes, you're handsome friend), Iruka's grandmother said, cupping Kakashi's cheek in her hand briefly, while her other hand was still wrapped around Iruka's wrist.

"_No, mi esposo, abuela. Tu sabes eso_."

(No, my husband, grandma. You know this.)

She scrunched her face, as if irritated at the reminder, before recoiling from Iruka completely.

Iruka's mother placed a hand on his arm, as if to tell him to let it go, before steering her own mother off in a different direction.

Kakashi could feel the anger rising inside his husband's body.

"It's fine, Iruka," Kakashi said consolingly.

"Except that it's not_,_" Iruka said. "We've been together for six years, married for two of them. It's tiring. I'm not going to stand here and lie about who you are to me so other people can be comfortable."

"But it's not just anyone, it's your _abuela_, Iru."

"Yeah, well, she damaged our relationship when she refused to come to our wedding, so."

Kakashi placed a hand on Iruka's lower back, rubbing it gently with his thumb.

"I'm not saying you should entertain a lie. I just don't want you to have any regrets. She's getting old. You don't see her often."

The rest of Kakashi's line of thought didn't need to be said. Iruka understood.

"The part that irritates me the most, Kakashi, is I _know_ she knows who you are to me. She's just choosing to act oblivious. That's what hurts," Iruka sighed, turning around to lean his back against the railing, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"If I were to stroll over there and tell her I was having a child with my straight wife, she'd be crying tears of joy. But if I told her _we_ were adopting a child, she'd curse my degenerate lifestyle and tell me how fucked up my kid is going to be without a mother."

"You're not going to tell her?"

"Of course I'm going to tell her, it's just… it sucks to share something that's so important to me, to _us_, with someone I love, and have them completely reject it. It's almost like it saps the happiness out of it."

Kakashi shook his head.

"No, I'm not having any of _that_. I'll be damned if I let her take away any of your joy," Kakashi said, uncrossing Iruka's arms and placing himself between them. "The only person that gets to sap things out of you, is me."

Iruka's face relaxed as he laughed.

"_Mi corazón_," Iruka said, "_Te amo_. What would I do without you?"

(my heart. I love you.)

"You'd probab—," Kakashi began.

"Shh," Iruka laughed, placing a hand over his mouth. "You weren't suppose to answer that. Let's sit and get something to eat. I'm starving."

—

Iruka's Uncle keep giving Kakashi shots of _pitorro_ (a type of moonshine made in the country, fermented with local fruits), so by the time the music heightened and the dance floor was cleared, Kakashi was considerably tipsy.

The groom had come over and placed his hands on Iruka's shoulder.

"_Primo!_" he shouted, as Iruka stood up to embrace him in a hug.

(Cousin!)

"Hey," Iruka said happily, clapping him on the back. "_Felicidades_, Omoi."

"_Gracias._ I'm glad you could make it, and Kakashi too," he said, stepping aside Iruka to shake Kakashi's hand. "It's good to see you both."

"_Tu papá_ has been filling Kakashi with _pitorro_," Iruka laughed, as Kakashi leaned on him for support.

"That old bastard. But he's always liked getting Kakashi drunk, for whatever reason," Omoi said, remembering.

"_Ya_ e_stás borracho?_" Omoi laughed, talking to Kakashi.

(Are you drunk already?)

Kakashi scratched nervously at the back of his head. His pales cheeks were tinted pink, a dead giveaway.

Omoi had grown up in Chicago alongside Iruka. Seeing as Iruka was an only child, they were more like brothers, than cousins. It broke Iruka's heart a little, when Omoi decided to move back to Puerto Rico two years ago, his parents following shortly after him. Omoi's family had never batted an eye at his and Kakashi's relationship, welcoming him into the family with open arms. They had spent a lot of time at their house over the years. This is the first time he's seen him since the move.

"Well, I won't complain. It's easier to convince him to dance this way," Iruka teased, wrapping an arm around Kakashi's waist.

"_Vale!_" Omoi said, "_Bailemos!_"

(Let's dance!)

They all danced together on the crowded floor for several songs. Kakashi kept trying to grope Iruka, due to his level of inebriation, and Iruka tried hard to keep it respectable. There were children here after all. The next song that came on was an old salsa classic. Kakashi was pretty tipsy, but not drunk enough for this. He made to leave the dance floor, but Iruka latched onto his shirt.

"No, you don't," Iruka said, "I'm going to teach you."

"Now? Out of all times? Why couldn't it have been in the privacy of our own home?"

"It's not as fun that way. Plus, I've only got eyes for you, babe. Imagine everyone else in the room just fading away," he said dramatically, wiggling his fingers in the air, knowing how corny that sounded.

Kakashi tried to give him an irritated glare, but it ended up turning into a smile. Iruka was just too damn cute.

"_Ven acá, papi_," Iruka said, stepping into a space outside the center, so they'd have more room.

(Come here)

Kakashi reluctantly obeyed, giving up on his escape. He couldn't deny Iruka anything.

Iruka placed a hand on his hip and intertwined his other with Kakashi's fingers, holding it in the air.

"So, it's a half step back with your left foot, a full step back with your right, and a tap with your left."

"Wait, _what?_" Kakashi said, the alcohol causing the directions to swirl around in his brain without ever coming to stick.

"Step halfway back with your left," Iruka repeated.

Kakashi did.

"And a full step back with your right."

He did that too, as Iruka moved into the space he created.

"Then tap with the foot that led you, in this case the left. When you come forwards, you'll lead with your right. Half step forward with your right, full step with your left, tap with the right, and so on. It's easy."

Kakashi glared at him, conveying that it was anything but easy.

"It _is_. Come on, just try it," Iruka laughed.

They did, and Kakashi stepped all over his feet for the first few minutes, before they finally fell into a pleasant flow.

"_Eso!_" Iruka said, praising him.

"This type of dance is like a mating ritual. I taunt you," Iruka moved into Kakashi's space, "And you taunt back," as Kakashi came into his and he pulled back.

"I lead with the hand on your waist by the pressure I put, to either pull you towards me or push you away."

"Hm, that's rare for you," Kakashi teased, dancing into his space, his confidence returning now that he was getting the hang of it. "To be the one in control."

"_Asshole_," Iruka laughed, as he twirled himself beneath Kakashi's arm, before falling back into step. "Don't get too smug, I'm slowing myself way down for you. You couldn't handle me otherwise."

"Ooof. _Ouch_. Does the taunting usually include banter? Is that part of the seduction?"

"Is it working?" Iruka asked, coming dangerously close to Kakashi's face.

Kakashi bit his lip. The way Iruka moved his body was unfathomable to Kakashi. It made no sense to him, the way it rolled and popped so easily. The fluidity of it. The way it found the beat, no matter _what_ it was. It was effortless.

Yeah. It was definitely working.

"Let's get out of here."

—

It took them 45 minutes to get back to the hotel, and by that time, Kakashi's buzz had started to wear off. After they had parked the car in the parking garage, Iruka walked towards the door that led inside the hotel, but Kakashi pulled him in the other direction.

"I still want to dance, but somewhere we can get dirty. That wedding left me unsatisfied."

Iruka raised his eyebrows at him before whipping out his phone to scan the gay bars in San Juan.

"There's one a ten minute walk from here."

"Lead the way."

—

"This looks like more of a club," Iruka said, looking up at the neon sign. "I think we're a little overdressed. Maybe we should have changed."

"Who cares. You look fine as hell," Kakashi said, pushing his husband towards the door despite his protests.

Yep. They were definitely overdressed, but not as in fancy, as in they were wearing too _much_ clothing. Most of the men were shirtless, or clad in next to nothing, unless it was made of leather or mesh.

As they winded their way to the bar, they did come across people who actually had clothes on, making them feel like they didn't stick out so much anymore.

"What do you want to drink?" Kakashi asked, placing his mouth next to Iruka's ear so he could hear him over the music.

"_Un mojito_."

Kakashi left his side to push his way to bar. When he returned, a mojito in one hand and a modelo in the other, a man had already taken to chatting Iruka up. Kakashi came to his side, handing him his drink. The man got the hint, raising his glass at the two of them, before taking his leave.

"I can't leave you alone for two seconds," Kakashi smiled, draping an arm around his shoulder.

"Yeah, well, you should have seen how many heads turned as you made your way to the bar. No one can resist a man in pink," Iruka teased, referring to Kakashi's outfit. He was wearing a long sleeve, pale pink shirt, pushed back to his forearms, his tattoos looking like a work of art, with a pair of fitted, black and white thickly striped pants rolled up at the ankle, above his white sneakers. It hugged his body in all the right places.

Since he no longer had to drive, Iruka downed two more mojitos, before he and Kakashi finally made it to the dance floor.

"I wish I had somewhere to put my cardigan," Iruka shouted, starting to sweat, a hand resting on Kakashi's chest.

"Wrap it around your waist," Kakashi suggested.

"That's one too many layers between my ass and your cock," Iruka said, pulling him flush to his body. He placed a leg between Kakashi's, so his thigh rubbed up against his dick as they danced.

"If you keep dancing on me like this, you'll feel it no matter how many layers there are," Kakashi flirted.

Iruka pulled him into a kiss, before releasing his lips to shrug out of his sweater, revealing a white scoop neck t-shirt, above his ultra light wash tight gray jeans. Kakashi licked his lips at the sight of his clavicles. The indent between his pecs teased him too. He felt an ache in his groin.

Kakashi dipped his head to nip at his collarbone, sliding his hands around to grab his ass, bringing their hips together.

Now _this_ was the appropriate place for _reggaeton_. They danced to the heavy beat, bumping and grinding and rubbing against each other. Iruka raked his hands down Kakashi's back, before bringing one up to his hair. He pulled, exposing Kakashi slick neck, sucking on the sweat filled skin beneath his ear.

Iruka turned around, pressing his ass into Kakashi's dick, a craving rising up inside him. Kakashi slid his hands beneath Iruka's shirt, dragging his fingers across his bare abdomen. It made Iruka's knees want to buckle. He didn't know if it was the alcohol or the music or what, but he was feeling incredibly horny. He cupped the back of Kakashi's head with his palm, tilting his ear down towards his mouth.

"_Tócame_." Iruka said into his ear, before biting at the lobe.

(Touch me.)

The hands on his abdomen dipped. One rested on his belt and the other came to rub him over his pants. This time, Iruka's knees did tremble. He ground his ass back into Kakashi, aching to feel his erection. Kakashi anchored him there as they danced, with the hand that was on his belt, as he dragged his other up the inside of his thigh, before ghosting over his dick again.

Iruka's body was pricked hot with heat. He tried _not_ to let his eyes roll back in his head from indescribable pleasure, and in the process, his eyes flit about the dance floor for the first time. Almost all the men around them were watching intently, clearly enjoying what they were seeing.

Part of him liked being a spectacle. He knew Kakashi was fucking hot as hell, and he had always been satisfied with his own looks, so he understood that the two of them together was… well… _sexy_. But the other part of him, wanted Kakashi's hand on his bare cock, and he wasn't about to let everyone see _that_.

He grabbed Kakashi by the wrist and led him off the dance floor. When they were outside, Iruka pulled him around the corner, down a dimly lit alley. The fresh air didn't do much to relieve their sweating. It was almost just as hot and sticky outside, in the island heat.

"I know you hate bathroom sex, so this alley will have to do," Iruka said, leaning back against the wall as he pulled Kakashi towards him.

He attacked Kakashi's mouth with his; biting at his lips, sucking on his tongue. No matter how far he pushed his tongue in Kakashi's mouth, he still felt like he wanted _more. _He wanted to go farther, go deeper, dive into Kakashi's very own skin,knowing full well that was physically impossible. It didn't stop him from trying, though.

Iruka brought his hand down to Kakashi's dick, raking his nails against it over his pants. Kakashi let a low growl.

He flipped their positions, ramming Kakashi against the wall, bending down to lift Kakashi's shirt, licking a line across his abdomen, before teasing his navel with his tongue.

When he came back up, he gave Kakashi his back, pressing it flush against his chest, pushing his ass into Kakashi's erection. Kakashi reached a hand around to grope Iruka over his pants. The sight of that tattooed hand on his dick was…well, it was too much.

"Finish me," Iruka said, not being able to take it anymore.

"A blowjob in an alley? Not as romantic as the beach," Kakashi teased.

"_No, con tu mano_." (With your hand.)

Kakashi chuckled.

"I don't have any lubrication, babe. And you'd be walking back to the hotel with cum all over your pants."

"I don't care," Iruka said, rifling through his satchel to grab the small bottle of hand lotion he'd stolen from the hotel. He hadn't grabbed it with this purpose in mind, but fuck it. It's all he had. He shoved it into Kakashi's hand. "You said you'd fuck me anywhere. In front of anybody. Or was that just empty words?"

Kakashi opened his eyes wide, surprised by the sexual energy pouring out of Iruka.

He brought the bottle into the light.

"Lemon Sage energizing body lotion," Kakashi read.

"Exotic," he said, raising an eyebrow at Iruka.

"Shut up," Iruka slurred, the alcohol still in full effect. "And put your lotion-ed up hand back on fucking my dick."

"I think you meant back on my fucking dick," Kakashi laughed.

"No,_ fucking_ my _dick,_" Iruka said, turning around to look at him with his glazed eyes. He shoved Kakashi back against the brick wall. "I want. Now."

"Hm. You're rude when you're drunk," Kakashi teased, following his orders anyway. He uncapped the lotion and squirted a generous portion in his hand. He had to admit, he liked when Iruka bossed him around. It didn't happen often, but it turned him on.

Kakashi smirked to himself.

If Iruka wanted to rile him up, well, he'd give him what he wanted.

He slipped the bottle into his pocket before whipping his husband around, pulling his back against his chest. He slammed into Kakashi so hard, it knocked the wind out of him for a second.

"You're fucking crazy, you know that?" Kakashi hissed into his ear, his lotion-free hand swiftly undoing his belt, pulling down the zipper. He shoved Iruka's pants down an inch, over each hip, to comfortably remove his dick. When he did, he saw it was already covered in pre-cum.

The sight of it made Kakashi press his forehead down onto Iruka's shoulder, suppressing the urge to bend his husband over and fuck him good in this alley.

He calmed himself down and went to work with his hand.

They both turned their heads as they heard footsteps approaching. Kakashi's hand froze on his cock.

"Don't you dare stop," Iruka said desperately, feeling no shame. He did not give a _fuck_ what came down that alley. He wasn't about to let anyone or anything steal this glorious moment from him.

"Hey," Kakashi called, trying to shield the view of Iruka's dick with his other hand. "If you don't want to know what my fist feels like, turn the fuck around."

The person stopped dead in their tracks, noticing them for the first time.

"_Cabrón," _the man spat, before turning on his heel and muttering,_ "fucking perverts."_

"Can you believe that? Calling me a pervert when I'm just trying to give my husband a nice, wholesome orgasm in this dark alley?" Kakashi said into Iruka's ear, biting down on the lobe, picking up his speed considerably.

"Maybe you are a p-pervert, _ah,_" Iruka breathed out.

Kakashi responded by digging his teeth into Iruka's neck, causing him to inhale sharply.

"What?No threat?" Iruka asked, secretly hoping for one. He found it completely hot the way Kakashi had yelled at that man.

"Oh? Did you want one?" he asked, giving Iruka's cock a hard squeeze. "When we get back, I'm going to sink my cock so far in your ass, you'll be seeing white."

Iruka's breath hitched, as he grabbed at Kakashi's thigh. He was done for.

"_Mmph._ _Oh, a-ahh_," Iruka said, clutching at Kakashi's body, at the brink of release. He picked up Kakashi's free hand and pressed it over his mouth in order to stifle the loud moan that exploded out of him, along with his orgasm.

—

Kakashi was having a hard time getting the key card in the hotel door because he was too busy making out with Iruka, who was currently pressed against it. Iruka's hands were already at his waist, unbuttoning his pants.

A group of teenage girls ran past them giggling and hollering.

"Get a room!" one shouted, lowering her voice an octave, before bursting into laughter again.

"We're trying, obviously!" Iruka shouted back, annoyed at being pulled out of his revelry.

Kakashi clapped a hand over his mouth, laughing.

"Are you really going to pick a fight with a high school girl?"

Iruka bit his palm in response, before removing his hand.

"If she cock blocks me, yes."

Kakashi cracked up.

"Move for a second."

Iruka did and he swiped the key into the door, pushing it open. Both of them were stripped naked by the time it clicked shut behind them.

Kakashi had crossed to the bathroom, grabbing the lube and a condom before joining his husband, who was still standing there, waiting for him. He made to approach Kakashi, only to be shoved back onto the bed. When Kakashi came to his knees on the edge of the mattress, Iruka scrambled towards him, but Kakashi shoved him back again. It made Iruka want to cry, not in a bad way, in the _best_ fucking way, so desperate was he to feel Kakashi's naked body against his own. The denial stoked his fire into a full out blaze.

Kakashi crawled over to Iruka, who was lying on his back, panting. He ran a hand over his chest, before trailing it down his abdomen and wrapping it around his already hard cock.

"On your knees," Kakashi demanded.

His voice came out deep and husky and so unbelievably sexy, it sent a shiver down his spine as he got on all fours. Kakashi came behind him, teasing his hole with his cock, before uncapping the lube.

"No condom," Iruka said, when he heard the wrapper being ripped open.

"You sure?" Kakashi asked, placing a hand on the small of his back.

Iruka nodded his head vigorously. They didn't do this often, but he wanted to feel Kakashi inside him. _Really_ feel him. All of him.

"Yes."

Kakashi threw the condom aside. After prepping himself and Iruka, he pushed in. Iruka cried out, arching his back in response, while Kakashi thrust into him. He clutched at the pillow that was above his head, gathering it in his fist, as Kakashi increased his speed and his strength.

It wasn't an empty threat. Every time Kakashi slammed into his prostate, he was blinded by white light.

"_Oh_. my. fucking. _god_." Iruka moaned, coordinating each word with one of Kakashi's thrusts.

Kakashi was lost in his own sea of white. The feeling of Iruka's ass tightening around his bare dick was so goddamn delicious, he wanted to melt. He wasn't going to last long.

"Baby, I'm close," he said gruffly, giving Iruka's hips a squeeze beneath his grip.

"Me too," Iruka struggled to say, moving a hand to his own cock, as they both came at the same time.

Kakashi collapsed on top of Iruka's back, as it exploded out of him.

They stayed like that for a moment. Kakashi limp against Iruka's sweaty back, and Iruka staring down at his cum he just shot all over the comforter.

"Holy shit," Kakashi said, turning his face to kiss Iruka's spine.

If Iruka could find his voice, he would have said the same thing.

Kakashi raised himself slowly, pulling out of his husband carefully. He got up off the bed and returned with an entire box of kleenex.

Iruka got up too, feeling some of Kakashi's cum drip down the back of his thigh.

"Hop in the shower," Kakashi laughed, seeing it happen. "I'll clean this up."

"I don't know if I have the strength to stand for long," Iruka said, his legs feeling rather wobbly. The alcohol, combined with the run he took this morning, all the dancing they'd done today, and the sex he just had, left him feeling incredibly exhausted.

"Then wait for me in the bathroom. I'll help you."

Iruka went into the bathroom, steadying himself on the sink. He looked up into the mirror, examining the love bite Kakashi had left on his neck in the alley.

_That's going to be a hard one to hide_, he thought, trailing his fingers over it. _Well, at least it's scarf season in Illinois._

Illinois.

They were flying back tomorrow morning. For some reason, he felt that this trip marked the end of their old life together. The closing of a chapter. For a minute, he felt overcome with sadness. Maybe that's why he had had such a strong desire to consume Kakashi tonight. Kakashi was no longer going to be solely his. He would to have to share him now.

He was going to belong to Naruto, too.

When Kakashi entered the bathroom, Iruka embraced him in a strong hug. Tears poured out of him before he even realized what was happening. He didn't even know _why_ he was crying.

"Babe, what…" Kakashi began, trying to pull away to look at him, but when Iruka wouldn't let him go, he became concerned.

"Did I hurt you?" Kakashi asked, caressing Iruka's hair.

For some reason, that made Iruka cry even harder. He shook his head against Kakashi's chest.

_No, today was perfect. You, are fucking perfect_, Iruka thought, but couldn't say. He felt like the luckiest man alive, yet he couldn't stop the tears from falling down his cheeks.

"Iru, what is it?" Kakashi asked, his voice heavy.

What _was_ going on? He _wanted_ to start a family, more than ever. It was _his_ idea. Yet he couldn't help feeling like he was about to lose a part of Kakashi that had been reserved for him only.

Iruka needed to say _something_. He felt guilty for making Kakashi worry. He took a deep breath. He didn't know how to put into words what he just experienced without sounding ridiculous, so he didn't try.

"I love you," he said. "Don't ever leave me. Please."

"What?" Kakashi asked, finally managing to free himself from Iruka's grasp.

"That's what this is about? Where did that come from?" he asked, looking into his husband's tear stained face. He would have laughed, if Iruka didn't look so damn sad and a little drunk still.

"Iruka, you know the only way you're getting rid of me is if I die, and even then, I'd come back and haunt your ass until you joined me."

Iruka choked out a sound, something between a laugh and a sob.

"Only my ass?" Iruka teased, even though he knew what he meant.

Kakashi cupped his face in his hands, wiping a tear away with his thumb.

"When you promised your life to me on our wedding day, I was actually asking for all of eternity. Your soul is bound to mine. _Forever_. Didn't you read the fine print?" Kakashi joked.

Iruka rolled his eyes, giving Kakashi's nipple a pinch.

"_Ow_," Kakashi laughed, before grabbing a tissue from the kleenex box he just brought back into the bathroom. He wiped at Iruka's nose.

"All jokes aside. I'm not going anywhere. I can't. I'd be…fucking lost without you. I _was_. You're the love of my life, Iruka. Even with snot dripping from your nose, and my cum leaking from your ass, you're still the sexiest motherfucker I've ever laid eyes on."

Iruka pushed him on the chest.

"You just can't help yourself can you? You were doing so well, too."

Kakashi latched onto his wrist.

"You want me to be serious? Fine." He tightened his grip on his wrist slightly. "Don't ever doubt us again. I don't know what this is about, but there's not a single person, place, or goddamn thing on this earth that I'd ever love more than I love you. You hear me?"

Iruka darted his eyes back and forth between Kakashi's own. The look he found there brokered no argument.

He believed him.

—-

_Notes:_

_*bicho, in most spanish-speaking countries, means insect/bugs, but in puerto rico, it's slang for "dick". so to my spanish-speaking readers… it's not a mistake! XD_

_whew! hope you liked it. the last rendezvous before these lovers become parents! AH._

_pssst. I have a secret._

_i've already got a 3k document of just an OUTLINE of how kakashi + iruka met, a prequel to this fic. it's a college AU. soooo, once this story is over, (which won't be for a while yet, I imagine Night at the Aquarium will go into double digit chapters), you'll have that to look forward to. ;D_

_thanks again for all your feedback & kudos & bookmarks! it keeps me motivated, for sure. 3_

_i love when you wonder/have questions about the characters! its my favorite. _

_see you next time! =^.^=_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Trigger warning**__: very brief mention of suicide + depression.)_

**07**

Iruka had requested a week off from work, right after he got back from Puerto Rico, knowing it would take a month to grant it. That month was rapidly coming to an end. Only six days remained, before Naruto came home with them for good.

The adoption papers had gone through without a glitch, much to Iruka's relief. They'd spent the past few weeks deep cleaning their apartment, registering Naruto for school, and buying anything they thought he might need.

Iruka had been bugging Kakashi for _days_ to finish removing their things from the spare bedroom. It was Kakashi's day off and he had asked Rin to come over and help him. He could have done it himself, but if he was being honest, he wanted the company. The emptier the room got, the more real it became, and the more nervous he felt. His sister was the only one who could ground him, outside of his husband.

"Are you going to leave your drawings up?" she asked him, gazing at the numerous framed pieces.

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"I love them. I'll take them off your hands if ya want. But I mean, they're mostly nature based, so I think it's appropriate? Except maybe not this one," she laughed, pointing to a watercolor of a man who was erotically tied up with rope.

"Yeah, maybe not," Kakashi laughed too, removing it from the wall.

"Have you ever thought about becoming a tattoo artist? I mean, that could be an option, if you really need to get outta your job. You know how many people compliment the ones you've drawn me? They always ask who did them, not knowing my guy only copies what _you_ draw me. With your talent, you could easily find someone who would take you on as an apprentice. The way you learn, you'd be on your own in no time."

It hadn't really crossed his mind, but it didn't sound unappealing either.

"You just want discounted tattoos," Kakashi teased.

"It'd be a nice perk," she smiled, "But seriously, think about it," she said, plopping down into one of the velvet green armchairs.

"Okay, where do we start?" she asked, hers legs hanging over the armrest.

"Maybe by moving all the books? We're going to leave that shelf in here. We can put them on the floor in my bedroom for now, I guess," Kakashi said, scratching at the back of his head.

"You can take that armchair if you want, we don't have a place for it. We're only going to keep one for Naruto to use. Two won't fit once we put the bed in here."

"Really?! Yay!" she squealed with excitement, rubbing her cheek against the back of it lovingly.

She got up and crossed over to the massive bookshelf. It took up half the wall.

"Geez. How many of these are Iruka's?" she teased, pretty confident she knew the answer.

"Um, maybe a third?" Kakashi said, sheepishly. "He's more of a library guy."

"Do you ever read these a second time?" she asked, grabbing an armful of manga.

"Some, but the majority, no. I need get rid of what I don't want. Iruka's been asking me to do that for years. I want to keep some of the ones in English for Naruto, though. I think there's a few he might like."

Rin left the room with her haul.

"I've started seeing someone," she said, upon returning to the room.

"Oh yeah?" Kakashi asked, peering at her from behind a towering pile of books.

"Yeah, her name's Konan. She's a DJ and a MAC make-up artist. She played a set at _Berlin_ one night when I was working," she said, following Kakashi out of the room with another set of books.

"We've only gone out officially twice, but I really like her."

"Officially?"

"Well, she's visited me at the bar a few times while I was working. I don't know if that counts?"

"Did she come alone?"

"Yeah…"

"Then it definitely counts. She's going there solely for you."

"Or my master mixology skills," she joked.

"That's still you," Kakashi said, ruffing up his sister's pale blue hair.

They made quick work of the rest of the books, with only one shelf remaining.

"You can leave those," Kakashi said, as she reached for them. "Iruka wants Naruto to have them."

"His precious Harry Potter collection?" she gasped, dramatically.

"Please," Kakashi laughed. "That's his special edition box set. His raggedly worn outs ones are in our room."

"Remember when I accidentally spilled tea on one?" she said, biting her lip.

"How could I forget? He literally cried. He put them under lock and key after that," Kakashi joked.

"Seriously?!"

"No," Kakashi chuckled, "but they never leave the bedroom now. He's got attachment issues."

"Clearly. What's next?" she asked, opening up the closet, which held all their outdoor winter attire.

"Where are these going?" she asked, removing several hangers.

"Eh, just toss them on our bed. I'll have to find space in one of the other closets."

She disappeared out of the room. Kakashi grabbed several pairs of boots and followed her out.

"Hey," she said, fingering the sleeve of a jacket. "Is this Dad's?"

Kakashi placed the boots in a corner of the room. He knew wherever he put things, Iruka would want to rearrange it anyway, so he wasn't going to attempt to find any real homes. As long as he _moved_ the things, Iruka would be happy.

He went over to Rin and looked down at the heavy, red flannel jacket, whose hood was lined with white wool.

"Yeah," he said.

"I didn't know you kept it."

It was the only thing he had of his Father's. He couldn't even say why he kept it. He'd never worn it and probably never would.

All of a sudden, Kakashi's chest was racked with pain. He sat on the edge of the bed.

Rin shoved the clothes aside, coming to sit down beside him.

"9 years later, and it still fucking hurts," he said, tears stinging at his eyes.

"I know," Rin said, rubbing his back.

Rin had loved her father, there was no doubt, but her relationship with him was nothing like Kakashi's. They had been exceptionally close.

"I don't want to be pissed off at him anymore, Rin. I finally got over that. But I was thinking about Naruto the other day, and being a Dad, and it struck me how he's never going to meet _my_ Dad. I never knew that would be something important to me, something I'd want, because I never thought much about kids, but now that it's happening, I do want it. So fucking badly. And it'll never happen. He deprived himself of being a grandfather by ending his own fucking life. Why didn't he think about that shit?!"

"He was mentally unhealthy, Kashi. He couldn't see anything outside his own depression, let alone think about the future."

Kakashi knew that, but it didn't stop him from expressing his frustrations. Their mother had died from ovarian cancer when he was 17, and they had watched their father fall into a crippling spiral of depression for three years. He wanted to delay going to college, to watch over him, but Rin insisted he go. Sakumo ended his life shortly before Kakashi's 20th birthday. Rin was only 18.

"He would have been so good to Naruto," Rin said, a tear escaping down her cheek.

Kakashi knew that, too. It made his own eyes water over. He put his head in his hands.

"But you know what? Naruto's going to the have best, most coolest aunt in the whole world… me!" she joked, causing a small weak laugh to escape from Kakashi.

She pulled his frame to rest against hers, embracing him in a hug.

"You're going to be a great Father, Kakashi," she told him, placing a kiss to the back of his head, knowing he was doubting himself. "And you aren't doing this alone. You have an _amazing_ partner. And you have me. I'll help any way I can."

Kakashi wrapped his arms around her and cried.

Rin left around 4, having to go into work. They had successfully moved everything by then, leaving only the bare bones of the room behind.

"So, what do you want to do?" Kakashi asked, crossing over to the armchair to hand Itachi a beer, who had just arrived ten minutes ago.

"Iruka won't be home until… I don't know, actually. He's been staying late lately, feeling guilty about requesting so much time off," Kakashi said, falling into the couch.

"I need to talk to you," Itachi said, abruptly. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone."

"Who would I tell?" Kakashi asked. He barely even hung out with anyone outside of Itachi anymore.

"Iruka."

Oh.

Kakashi thought about that. Did that even count? He and Iruka were practically the same person. He told him _everything_. It was his way of seeing and understanding the world.

"I don't know if I can promise you that," he said, honestly. "If that changes whether or not you want to tell me, I understand."

Shit. Itachi wasn't expecting him to answer like _that_. He was expecting him to say, okay, yes Itachi, you're my best friend, of course. He should have known. Kakashi put Iruka in front of everybody. It made him jealous sometimes. Well, _dammit_. He had opened the conversation so dramatically, with strict rules, and now he was going to fold because he really _did_ need to talk to Kakashi.

He sighed.

"_Fine_. But Iruka can't tell anyone."

"Okay…? What's going on?" Kakashi asked.

"I think Kisame is cheating on me."

"What?!" Kakashi laughed. "That's absurd."

Itachi's face told him that he clearly didn't think so.

"Itachi, that boy is so in love with you, you'd have to be blind not to see it."

"Excuse me?" Itachi glared at him.

"What? Oh. Come _on_, that wasn't a dig at your eyesight. It was a figure of speech. You're not that blind," Kakashi said, biting on his own lip for what he was about to say next, "yet."

Itachi kicked at his shin.

"I'm being serious. I really think he's cheating on me."

"And what made you come to that conclusion?"

Itachi brought his legs up onto the chair, crossing them into a pretzel.

"He's been distant, in weird ways. He ends phone calls when I come in the room sometimes. And twice now, when I've walked past him while he was texting someone, he made to tilt his screen away from me so that I couldn't read or see what it was, as if I even _could_. It was a subtle movement, but he did it none-the-less."

_Hm_, Kakashi thought. That did seem kind of suspicious.

"Is that all? Has he been acting differently towards you or…?"

"That's it. And…no? He's been the same. Except for that."

"Maybe he's got something going on, that's he's not ready to talk about yet," Kakashi suggested.

"…But he can talk to someone else about it? I don't think so. We're open with each other. To make it worse, he's always like… grinning or glowing after every one of those instances."

Itachi's face fell. Kakashi felt himself getting protective. He really liked Kisame, and he knew Itachi was in love with him, but if he was two-timing Itachi, he could _not_ like him, in an instant.

"Have you confronted him?"

Itachi shook his head, picking at the label on his beer bottle.

"You should, before you make any assumptions. Or do anything rash," Kakashi said, giving him a knowing look. It would be just like Itachi to dump Kisame and ghost him completely, if he felt threatened he'd get hurt. Kakashi had seen him do it to other men.

"I'm terrified to. It's weird," Itachi said, scrunching up his face.

"That you have something you don't want to lose? Yeah, that's pretty weird for you," Kakashi laughed. "I've known you for what, 15 years now? You've had one other serious boyfriend outside of Kisame, because you're a picky fucking bastard. The fact that you've been with him this long means something. Don't throw it away before you know for sure."

Itachi smirked.

"You're not counting yourself among my serious boyfriends?"

Kakashi laughed, "Please."

"That's fine. That was before I had standards anyway."

"Yikes. What did I ever do to you?"

"Besides break my heart? Nothing."

Kakashi laughed again.

"Itachi, we dated for like a month. And we constantly fought."

"Oh? That's what that was? I thought it was foreplay."

"You're full of shit."

"Imagine. When all I wanted was to be full of you."

Kakashi looked at him, incredulously.

"Yeah, well, it never would have worked," he said, shrugging it off.

"Why? Because we're both tops?"

Kakashi cracked up.

"The fuck you are," he said. "You know why."

"Yes. You made it quite clear. What was it you said? We just didn't have that 'spark'?" Itachi said, dramatically.

Kakashi threw his beer cap at him.

"Something like that, yeah."

"Well, _I_ thought our sex was okay," Itachi said, eyeing him above his bottle, taking a swig.

"Yeah, it was okay," Kakashi repeated, a grin plastered across his face.

"_Asshole_. You were suppose to disagree with me and say, 'No, Itachi, it was great.' Besides, you should be ashamed of yourself. Having sex with a minor."

Kakashi scoffed.

"It's not like we were fucking each other. We never went past blowjobs. I had_ just_ turned 18. And you were a mature 16 year old."

"You know that sounds terrible right?"

Kakashi opened his mouth to retort, and then closed it. Yeah. This is _exactly_ why they didn't work. They had a way of getting under each other's skin. And not in a good way.

"How did we even get here?" Kakashi asked.

"Because I'm trying not to think about my boyfriend cheating on me."

"You don't know that for sure," Kakashi said, pointing the neck of his beer bottle at him.

Itachi sighed, pulling his ponytail across his glasses, hiding his eyes.

"Loving someone sucks."

"Sometimes. But it mostly doesn't. It can be the best thing in the world."

"Blehhh," Itachi said, releasing his hair. "Don't even start. Not all of us can live in fairytale romances."

"I don't know what fairytale you've been watching. I've put Iruka through a lot of bullshit over the years."

"That you did. I should be thanking you for breaking up with me really, I dodged a bullet."

"Fuck you," Kakashi laughed.

"I'm teasing," Itachi said.

If he was being honest, he envied Iruka a little bit. Kakashi was… an amazing person. Fiercely loyal. Exceptionally good-looking. Tender and loving under his hard exterior. He had meant it when he said Kakashi broke his heart when he was 16; he had liked him, _a lot_. Kakashi was his first significant crush, and well, people say you never really get over your first. He'd _die_ before he ever admitted that, though.

"Speaking of keeping things from Iruka," Kakashi started, breaking him out of his thoughts, "I have an idea for his 30th birthday, but I'm gonna need your help."

Iruka came home around 8:30, about an hour after Itachi had left. The first thing he did after slipping out of his work clothes, was grab a bowl of (vegan) coconut ice cream, before dropping into the couch next to Kakashi, who was watching an episode of _The Simpson's_, reclined with Pakkun on his chest.

"It's been that kind of day, huh?" Kakashi asked, knowing ice cream meant stress.

"Ugh. I don't want to talk about it now. I just want to relax into the oasis that is my home," he said, pulling his knees into his chest, resting the bowl on top of them.

"Well, I can take your mind off that," Kakashi said, turning off the TV. "Itachi thinks Kisame is cheating on him."

Iruka nearly spit out his ice cream.

"That's insane."

"That's what I said," Kakashi agreed, as he sat up to reach for Iruka's spoon, taking a scoop for himself, before handing it back. Pakkun dropped to the floor with a grunt. "But he seems convinced."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He said something about Kisame ending calls when he walks in the room, or texting someone secretly. It sounded kinda fishy, _no pun intended_, to be honest."

Iruka took another bite of his ice cream, resting the spoon on his bottom lip as he swallowed.

"You're not even going to laugh at my joke? Damn. Your day must have really been bad," Kakashi teased.

A guilty look washed over his face.

Kakashi stole the spoon from him.

"What do you know?" Kakashi asked, pointing it at him accusingly.

Iruka dug his face behind his knees. Kakashi removed the bowl and placed it on the coffee table. He straightened his husband's legs out, before crawling between them.

"You're the worst liar, Iruka Umino Hatake. Spill it," he said, fighting to get Iruka to reveal his face, who was struggling to keep it hidden. "If Kisame is cheating on Itachi I _will_ beat the shit out of him."

Iruka yielded, looking up at Kakashi, knowing he was dead serious.

"The person Kisame has been talking to is me. He's going to propose. But you can NOT let on that you know. I wasn't supposed to tell you. I promised. The _only_ reason I'm telling you, is so that you don't jump Kisame in a dark alley."

"Ha!" Kakashi hooted, "Itachi's in for a surprise. That's great. Wait, how long have you known?"

"Over two weeks."

"You've been keeping that a secret from me for two weeks?! I'm offended."

"I promised I wouldn't tell you! Kisame knows how close you two are."

Kakashi laughed to himself. Did everyone think he had a big mouth or something? Well, he _did_ just tell Iruka something he wasn't supposed to tell him, an hour after he heard it. But that was Iruka. He had concluded that that didn't count. He couldn't keep _anything_ from him. Apparently, the feeling wasn't mutual.

"I see how it is," Kakashi said, pulling away, faking like he was upset.

"_Mi amor_, don't be like that," Iruka said, planting kisses all over his face.

"You know, Itachi asked me to promise not to tell you about his suspicion, and you know what I said? I said, I can't promise you that. I tell Iruka everything."

"_Ay bendito_," Iruka said, covering his face with his hands. He peered at Kakashi through a gap in his fingers. "You didn't."

"I did."

"Ugh," Iruka groaned. "I feel terrible now."

"How are you going to make it up to me, huh?"

Iruka pulled him into a slow, passionate kiss.

"How's that?"

"_Mmph,"_ Kakashi said, passing his tongue across his own lips. "That's a good start, but it's going to take more than that."

It was 7:00 on a Friday evening and Iruka had just left work. It was finally the weekend, which usually didn't mean much to him, since he worked Saturdays, but he had tomorrow off because it was his birthday, and on Sunday, they were bringing Naruto home.

He pulled into the driveway of his old house, having promised his mother he'd stop by before he went home. Apparently, she had something to give him.

"_Hola Mami_," he called, walking in the front door.

"_Estoy en la cocina_," she called.

(I'm in the kitchen)

Iruka headed for the kitchen, where he found her stirring a pot on the stove.

"_Hola mi hijo_," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "_hueles a pesca'o_."

(hi my son, you smell like fish)

"_Si, yo se_. I took a shower before I left work, but sometimes it still sticks."

(Yeah, I know.)

"_Quieres café?"_ she asked, clacking the spoon on the side of the pot, before placing it on it's holder.

"_Un poquito_. I can't stay long. Kakashi and I need to make it to IKEA before it closes. The bedframe we ordered for Naruto finally arrived."

"_Que bien_," she said.

(That's great)

She poured him a tiny cup of coffee, the size of a shot glass, before leaving the room.

When she came back, she had a white quilt in her hand, it's edge framed with blue. Various outlines of whales and dolphins were stitched into it with red thread.

"You kept that?" Iruka laughed.

"_Claro que si! (Of course!) _I want Naruto to have it. I patched up the end that ripped. _Mira_," she said, holding out a photograph.

It was of him, when he was probably around Naruto's age. He was asleep on the couch with the quilt wrapped around him, some of it balled up in his fist. It tugged at his heartstrings. This was really thoughtful of her.

"_Gracias, Mami_."

He took a sip of his coffee.

"_Donde esta Papi? Esta aqui_?"

(Where's Dad? Is he here?)

"_Si_, in his study."

"He hasn't said much about Naruto."

"Oh, he'll come around. _No te preocupes. Tienes planes para tu cumpleanos manana?"_ she asked, changing the subject, which didn't go unnoticed by Iruka.

(Don't worry. Do you have plans for your birthday tomorrow?)

"Not really. Kakashi's taking me out to dinner somewhere. Nothing too crazy," he smiled.

She cupped his cheek with her hand.

"_Mi bebe. Trenta anos. Dios mio. _I'm getting old," she pouted.

(My baby. 30 years old. My god.)

"_Tu eres perfecto, mami. Tranquila_."

(You're perfect. Relax)

He took the last sip of his coffee and glanced at his watch.

"I should get going. Traffic is terrible at this time."

"Ok," she said, handing him two Tupperware containers. "Come by for lunch tomorrow. _Tu papa_ will want to wish you a happy birthday in person."

"_Que eso?"_ he asked, referring to the containers she had just shoved into his hands.

"_Tu cena_. _Pollo guisado."_

(Your dinner. Braised chicken.)

"Kakashi's favorite."

"Why do you think I made it?" she said, winking at him.

Iruka looked at his mother in surprise. This pulled at his heart, too.

Lunch at his parents the next day was surprisingly nice. His dad had even asked him several questions about Naruto. Iruka knew it was because his mother had said something, but ultimately, it was up to him to put the effort in, and he did. That meant something. Iruka's dad wasn't as embracing of his sexuality as his mother. He never outright rejected him; Iruka knew his dad loved him, and he was always nice to Kakashi, but there was still a lingering, silent discomfort at times.

The two of them had just walked into the Conservatory, since they had an hour to kill. It made no sense to go all the way home, when they were already in the city, only to come back up for dinner.

"The Fern Room always reminds me of Puerto Rico. It has a lot of the same rainforest plants," Iruka said, slipping his hand into his husband's while the other one reached out to graze the leaves they were passing by.

"Yeah, and the same humidity," Kakashi said, unzipping his leather jacket with his free hand.

They came to sit on a bench beneath a gazebo, that was fully covered with the succulent vines of a vanilla plant.

"You know, I was thinking, maybe you could ask Mikoto if Naruto could go home with Sasuke after school. I know we have mornings covered, now that you got your hours changed, but I'd rather not put him in an afterschool program, if I can help it. You're usually out by 5? So that'd only be two hours."

"Two hours, times five," Kakashi reminded him. "That's a lot to ask."

"Even if she could only take him for one day out of five, I still think that's better."

"Why do I have to be the one who arranges it? It's your idea," he teased, knocking his shoulder into Iruka's.

"Because you've known the Uchiha's forever. And Fugaku scares me. _Pleeease_," he said, smiling widely, flashing his dimples at him. "It's my birthday."

"Is that really your birthday request? I was hoping for something a little more sexy," Kakashi joked.

Iruka slapped him on the thigh.

"Alright, I'll do it," Kakashi laughed. "But only because you're cute, and I want to bed you later."

"Oh my god," Iruka said, rolling his eyes, before leaning in to kiss his husband.

It started off innocent enough, but then Kakashi's tongue nudged at his lip, and Iruka couldn't do anything but open his mouth compliantly. The heat surrounding them shot up several degrees as they made out. They pulled a part at the sound of a passerby, the only thing lifting them out of their trance.

"30, huh?" Kakashi said, pushing a stray piece of hair behind Iruka's ear, before leaning away from him. "You're gettin' old."

"_We're_ getting old. You're right behind me. And you know, 30 always sounded so old when I was 18, but it's really not. I don't feel old. At all."

"Says the man who wears a Harry Potter t-shirt to bed."

"It's the Deathly Hallows symbol! It's not like I'm wearing Ron's face or something."

"That makes a difference?" Kakashi teased. "And I thought you were more of a Sirius Black man. You like those tatt'ed bad boys," he said, waggling his eyesbrows at him.

"Fuck you," Iruka laughed.

"See, now _that's_ what I was hoping for."

"Ugh, come on," Iruka said, getting to his feet, in an attempt to hide his blush. He pulled Kakashi up.

"Let's go to the Desert Room. I want to take a picture of that cactus."

"You take a picture of it every time we come here, and it always looks the same."

"Fine, I'll take a picture of a different one, you prickly bastard."

"I can't believe how much our waitress was flirting with you," Iruka said, as they got into the car, after having finished dinner. "I would be embarrassed of myself."

"I wasn't even doing anything," Kakashi laughed. "Except… eating."

"You don't have to," Iruka said, "That's the thing. There's a mystery about you that's sexy."

Kakashi gave him a dubious look.

"I'm serious. You're pretty aloof with strangers, but at the same time, you show just enough to get someone interested. It could be the smallest thing, like the raising of an eyebrow, or a laugh, or I don't know. I know you're not even aware of the effect you have on people, but it's alluring. To see signs of softness beneath all those tattoos. It seems contradictory, which makes you wonder what _else_ you got going on under there."

"Under my clothes?" Kakashi laughed, in disbelief.

"No, _perver_t. Under your… I don't know. Under the exterior you present to the world. There's a quote I read once that I liked, that talks about love being the _knowledge_ of each other, not of the flesh but _through_ the flesh. Seeing the 'real him' or 'the real her', as if a mask has slipped from the face. It's kind of like that."

"Yeah, well, you're the only one who gets to see what's under my mask. Everyone else can fuck off."

"I'm lucky, I know."

"That's not what I meant," Kakashi laughed. "And assuming all tattooed people are assholes is a stereotype anyway."

"The world is run by stereotypes, _mi amor_. It's the reason she was totally oblivious to the fact that we're gay. We don't look or act 'stereotypically' gay," Iruka said, glancing out the window.

"Hey… where are we going…?"

Kakashi should have taken a _left_ where he had taken a _right_.

"Somewhere no one's going to doubt we're gay."

15 minutes later, they had pulled up to a male strip club, a high class one, but a strip club none-the-less.

"What in the world…" Iruka said to himself, as he followed Kakashi out of the car.

"What are we doing here? I'd much rather have _you_ strip for me. At home."

"Come on," Kakashi laughed, grabbing onto his husband's hand, before crossing the street. "It'll be fun."

They walked up to a large, round table towards the back, with a booth that wrapped almost all the way around it.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Came a chorus of shouts, upon seeing Iruka.

There was Kisame and Itachi; their friend Deidara, who had flew in from New York; Rin and her date Konan; Kurenai, Iruka's good friend and college roommate, and her husband Asuma.

Iruka hid his face in complete surprise, before sliding into the booth next to Kurenai, Kakashi coming in after him.

"You did this?" Iruka asked him quietly.

Kakashi smiled in response, before Iruka planted a kiss to his lips.

A scantly clad waiter had come over the moment they sat down.

"Can I get you boys something to drink?"

"You should get the _. It's really good," Itachi said, sucking enthusiastically on his straw.

"That's his third one already," Kisame said, eyeing Itachi warily.

"Uh, that sounds good to me," Kakashi said, looking at Iruka.

"Me too."

"Okay, 2 _ ," the waiter said, before disappearing.

"Wow. It's so great to see you all. Thanks for coming."

He turned to Kurenai, who was visibly pregnant.

"I can't believe you're here!" he said, embracing her in a hug. "I've got a lot to tell you…"

Iruka fell into his own conversation with Kurenai, while Kakashi spoke across the table to Deidara.

"How's New York?" Kakashi asked.

"Pretentious."

"So you fit right in, then?" Itachi said.

"Quite well, actually," Deidara replied, causing them all to laugh.

"Here you go, handsome. Let me know if you need _anything_," the waiter said, dropping off their drinks, giving a wink to Kakashi, who didn't even notice.

"But you know, for as much as I heard about the drag scene in New York, I like it better in Chicago," Deidara continued. "It's great and everything, but it's more intimate here. More… familial. There's a sense of community."

"Do you still perform?" Kakashi asked, taking a sip of his drink. It was a little too sweet for him, but it tasted good anyway.

"Not really. It's saturated with performers there. Plus, I'm pretty busy. I got commissioned by a few new restaurants to do all their ceramics. It's got me in the studio all the time. And… I'm seeing someone," Deidara said, biting on his straw mischievously.

"Only 'one', Dei?" Itachi teased.

"_Yes_. I've slowed down. I've become monogamous, can you believe it?"

"Not really," Itachi said.

Dei rolled his eyes.

"His name's Sasori. He's an artist, like myself. He crafts these exquisite puppets out of wood, like vintage _Pinocchio's_, but all different types of people and beasts. He just had an exhibition, actually. It was really successful."

"That's great, Dei. I'm happy for you," Kakashi said.

"And what's this I hear about you being a Father?" Dei said, taking out his straw to point it at Kakashi.

Kakashi glanced over at Itachi who had mouthed the word _oops._

"Crazy, right? We actually bring him home tomorrow."

"I think it's adorable. Iruka is going to be the perfect mother; the kind who wears an apron and bakes cookies on the weekend."

"He already does that," Kakashi laughed, placing a hand on Iruka's thigh, giving it a squeeze. Iruka slipped his hand into his, even though they remained in two separate conversations.

An hour and several drinks later, Kakashi excused himself to the bathroom. Except instead of going to the bathroom, he headed out the front door and to the car. He grabbed a bag from the trunk before going back inside.

Once he was actually _in_ the bathroom, he locked himself in a stall, and attempted to change.

"_Fuck_," he cursed, as he tried to remove his pants, falling into the sides of the stall.

He was… a little drunk. But he needed the courage for what he was about to do.

When he had finally gotten fully changed, he shoved his other clothes into his bag, and opened the stall.

He looked at himself in the mirror and laughed.

_The things I do for love_, he thought to himself, as he walked out the door.

"I heard someone ordered a lap dance," their waiter said, coming back up to the table, looking directly at Iruka.

"Oh, no, it wasn't…" Iruka started, not wanting a lap dance from this dude.

But then he noticed that the waiter's eyes had moved _behind_ him. He turned around to bring his eyes in that direction, only to have them land on Kakashi.

Clad in a pair of leather fucking booty shorts.

Iruka almost fainted at the sight of those alone, before moving his eyes up the rest of his body. He was wearing a long sleeve _tight_, white shirt, which almost glowed fluorescent in the lighting, a backwards trucker hat, and a pair of white doc marten boots.

When his eyes landed on Kakashi's face, Iruka's turned _bright_ red.

He said nothing as his husband smirked at him, walking past him to hop up on top of the table. All Iruka could do was slide back down in his seat, his eyes glued to Kakashi.

There was a pole that ran through the middle of the table, but Kakashi ignored it. He _barely_ had enough courage for this. He kept his eyes on Iruka, knowing if he looked at anyone else, he might lose his composure completely.

He took a deep breath and started to dance, igniting a series of hollering to ricochet around the table. He rolled and popped his shoulders and hips finding the heavy, dirty beat. He turned around, dropped low to the ground, sticking his ass out towards Iruka, before slowly coming back up.

He threw off his hat, and turned to face his husband again, teasing him with his shirt, rolling it up his abdomen, before removing it completely, throwing it in Iruka's face. It revealed a black, mesh, crop top. The very same one that set Iruka's groin on fire, whenever he wore it.

Kakashi heard a whistle behind him, one that he recognized as Itachi's, calling for his attention. He turned around to find Itachi's arm extended, holding out a 5 dollar bill, a smug look on his face.

_Fucking bastard_, he laughed to himself, before crouching down so Itachi could stick it in the hem of his booty shorts.

Kisame raised his eyebrows at him playfully.

"Oh, _please_. Don't act like you're not enjoying this. The only one in this whole club who _isn't_ turned on right now, is probably Rin (whose face was hidden in Konan's shoulder), and that straight man," Itachi said, referring to Kurenai's husband.

"_Although_… he does seem to be appreciating it." Itachi joked, as Asuma shifted in his seat, giving Kakashi a few nervous glances.

Kakashi jumped down from the table, coming to straddle Iruka in the booth. He grinded his hips at the air, hovering a mere inch from his husband, teasing him, as his ripped abdomen ghosted across his lips.

Iruka latched onto ass, which was threatening to come out of his shorts, but his hands were swiftly removed by Kakashi.

Kakashi brought his mouth dangerously close to Iruka's ear. He clicked his tongue, reprimanding him.

"Don't you know you're not allowed to touch the strippers?" Kakashi hissed. "Hands _off_. Unless you're paying me."

Iruka flexed his fingers at his sides, itching to rake them all over his husband's skin. He had to remind himself to _breathe_.

Kakashi got up, and continued to dance in front of him, allowing Iruka to reach into his pocket for his wallet.

He held up a 20 dollar bill between his fingers, enticing Kakashi to come and get it. He did, sticking his hips out, as Iruka slipped it into his shorts. He wanted to run his tongue along the crease of his hip. Pull that delicious, erotic, fabric down, and shove Kakashi's dick in his mouth. He couldn't do that, of course, but the desire pulsed so hot, it made him sweat.

The song ended shortly after, and so did Kakashi's dance. He slipped back into the seat beside Iruka, who immediately smashed his mouth against his, his hand diving under the table to rub over his cock.

"Get me out of here, now," he said into his ear.

Kakashi laughed.

"Apparently, we're leaving," he said to the rest of the table, as Iruka's mouth traveled all over his neck.

Iruka didn't even say goodbye to Kurenai or Deidara, both of whom had traveled here to see him. He couldn't take his attention off of his husband's ass, which just left it's seat.

_I'll call them tomorrow_, he thought, knowing they'd be in town for more than one day, before scrambling out of the booth to follow after Kakashi.

Once they were at the car, Iruka slammed Kakashi against the driver's side door, kissing him desperately, rubbing his erection into him, feeling like a goddamn animal.

"That was the best." (Kiss) "fucking." (Bite). "birthday present." (lick) "ever."

Kakashi smiled against his mouth.

"Well, I still have one more for you. But we have to go home, for you to get it."

Iruka looked up at him in disbelief.

_Nothing_ could top this.

Okay, he took that back.

Beneath the blue tissue paper, in an open box in his lap, there lay a pair of leather cuffs, vibrating plugs, a silicon prostate massager, and water-based lube.

"I will completely submit to you," Kakashi said. "Happy Birthday," he grinned.

Oh. Fuck. _Yes_.

Iruka tackled Kakashi back against the bed, trying to kiss the air out of his lungs, before slapping a cuff around each wrist and tying them to the bed frame.

Iruka crawled back on the bed to admire his work. It was the hottest thing he had _ever_ seen. Kakashi was still in his black mesh crop top, and black leather shorts.

He stripped down to his boxer briefs, before coming to straddle his husband.

There were so many possibilities running through his mind, he had a hard time picking one, so he sat there for a moment in contemplation. Kakashi bucked his hips up into a bridge, causing Iruka to come toppling forwards. He nipped at the skin that presented itself to his face.

"Hey," Iruka laughed, drawing back. "That's cheating. Even with your arms tied, you still can't give up control, can you? Do I need to bind your ankles, too? Or are you going to behave?"

Kakashi bit his own lip, before straightening his legs out, signifying that he would comply.

"Good boy," Iruka said, before sliding his chest up Kakashi's, capturing his mouth in a kiss.

He tangled his tongue around Kakashi's, before sucking it into his mouth, causing a low moan to escape Kakashi's throat. He ground his hips down into him, as Kakashi gave his arms a hard yank.

"Careful," Iruka warned. It wasn't without reason. They had broken their last pair. But thankfully, these one's looked more durable.

Iruka watched as his husband's arms flexed against the restraints. He ran his tongue over one of his biceps, sinking his teeth into the muscle, as he groped Kakashi's cock with his hand.

Iruka pressed his hips back down to straddle him, rising up to sit. He clutched Kakashi's hips in his hands, digging his thumbs into his groin, as he rubbed his ass into Kakashi's dick in a circular thrust.

Kakashi gave his arms another hard yank, in reflex. He couldn't help himself.

Iruka bent over, taking one of Kakashi's nipples in his mouth, as one of his hands crawled up Kakashi's neck and over his face. Kakashi kissed, and licked, and bit at any skin he could get, before Iruka stuck one of his fingers in his mouth. Kakashi sucked on it, greedily, and Iruka groaned through his teeth, which were still latched onto his husband's nipple.

He went back up to Kakashi's mouth, lapping up a few final tastes of his tongue, before reversing his straddle, giving Kakashi a view of his back.

Iruka looked down at the sizeable bulge of Kakashi's cock, still hidden beneath the black leather. He felt saliva starting to pool in his mouth, in anticipation. He hooked his thumbs beneath the waistband and pulled. Kakashi lifted up his hips in assistance, as Iruka slid them the rest of the way off.

His breath hitched at the sight of his husband, who he _knew_ was aching for him. He ghosted the back of his hand down his hard shaft, causing Kakashi to writhe against the mattress, the leather cuffs audibly straining against the bedframe.

Iruka readjusted himself, moving his ass back to press flush against Kakashi's chin, before enveloping Kakashi's cock with his mouth. Kakashi bent his legs at the knee, thrusting his hips up and down, sliding in and out of Iruka's wet, warm, _delicious_, fucking mouth.

He gave his arms another hard pull, knowing it was fruitless. All he wanted to do was spread his husband's ass and stick his tongue in there deep, or wrap his lips around Iruka's dick and let him fuck his face. But, no. Iruka had kept his briefs _on_, on purpose. That ruthless bastard.

Iruka rubbed his erection against his chest.

"_Irukaa_-_ah_," Kakashi said, coming out half moan, half curse.

Kakashi pulled at his briefs with his teeth, before pressing his tongue against the back of his balls. Even though there was fabric separating them, he knew he would still feel it.

"_Mmph_," Iruka moaned, around his dick, letting Kakashi know that he did, in fact, feel it, and it felt fucking fantastic.

Kakashi felt his orgasm rising. It was building in his thighs, was surging hot through his veins. He dug his nails into his palm, since he couldn't dig them into Iruka's skin. But then he felt a hand press into his thigh, and Iruka's mouth released him.

Kakashi could barely comprehend what Iruka was doing. One, because his eyes were so hooded and two, Iruka still had his back to him. He yanked his arms again, wanting to pull Iruka back by his hair. He quickly got his answer though, when he felt the cool metal plug, all slipped up with lube, pushed into his ass.

Iruka clicked on the vibration and Kakashi's body _shook_ from the intense pleasure that shot through him. Iruka swung his leg over Kakashi's hips and came to face him again, tearing off his briefs, before leaning over to untie Kakashi's wrists.

"You better hurry," Kakashi panted, his eyes on Iruka's erect cock, "because that plug is going to have me screaming in a matter of seconds."

A flurry of movement happened as Kakashi's wrists were freed and Iruka sunk down onto Kakashi's dick. Kakashi wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling Iruka into him, as spit into his other hand, having _no_ time to grab the lube, while his husband rode him, _hard_.

As much as he wanted to hold out a little longer, he couldn't. That vibration in his ass was tickling the right fucking place and his vision was blacking out. His body tensed, as Iruka gave his hips a few final sharp thrusts. Kakashi started to moan, and with each breath, they elevated in volume, until it broke forth from him completely.

Kakashi was true to his word. He _screamed_ and Iruka thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard. It sent him over the edge, coming all over his husband's hand and abdomen.

Kakashi was still jolting, after his orgasm had left him, due to the plug still lodged in his ass. He reached around Iruka, and pulled it out, turning off the vibration, before lying back against the bed. Iruka flattened himself on top of him.

"Iruka," Kakashi said, placing a hand on the back of his husband's head, not having enough strength to stroke it.

His name came out raspy and deep, sending a chill down his spine. If Kakashi saying his name like that was the last thing he ever heard, he'd die happy.

"That was the best fucking orgasm of my life."

"You mean it?" Iruka gushed against his sweaty chest. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and satisfaction.

"Are you serious?" Kakashi said, straining his neck to look at him. "Have you _ever_ heard me come like that? That was pure fucking bliss."

"Are you saying you had a spiritual experience?" Iruka teased.

"You're damn right," Kakashi said, wrapping his arms around him. "I saw god."

"Oh yeah? And what did they like look?"

"They looked just like you."

Their bodies shook against each other, as they both broke into laughter.

Kakashi had a guilty pleasure: rap and hip-hop. He loved it, in all forms, not even caring how problematic the lyrics were sometimes. He couldn't help himself. Iruka wasn't a fan, or at least, he was very selective about it, so when Kakashi was browsing his phone for a very specific song while stopped at a red light, he knew Iruka would hate it, but he did it anyway.

The bass bumped out of the speakers as he looked over at his husband, a huge grin creeping over his face. Iruka rolled his eyes.

"Get it out of your system, because when Naruto gets in the car, you're turning this off."

Kakashi danced in his seat.

"_2 to the 1 from the 1 to the 3, I like good pussy and I like good trees, smoke so much weed you wouldn't believe, and I get more ass than a toilet seat," _Kakashi rapped along.

Iruka shook his head at him.

"There's something wrong with you," he laughed, "how is that even relatable?"

Kakashi continued to bounce his shoulders, ignoring Iruka, grinding his hips into the seat, shifting gears as the light changed color.

"_Tonight I want a slut, would you be mine? I heard you were freaky from a friend of mine_," he continued, pinching Iruka's chin between his fingers, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Get out of here," Iruka laughed again, swatting Kakashi's hand away, blushing despite himself. He knew Kakashi was referring to the events of last night.

"Man, I don't know how I'm going to celebrate your birthday next year. I really made it hard for myself. First last night, and now, a _kid_. Damn. What a weekend."

"Just don't. I've got everything I need."

Kakashi smiled at him, "Happy Birthday, babe."

When they pulled up to the orphanage, Naruto was waiting on the front porch with Ms. Garcia, despite the cold.

Kakashi shut off the music.

"He only has one bag," Iruka said. "Kakashi, everything he owns fits in one small orange backpack." He repeated, sadly.

"Well, maybe he's a minimalist, that's a good thing," Kakashi said, trying to make his husband laugh, but when he didn't, he switched his tactic, "You're gonna give him the world, Iruka. He's gonna need space for all that. Cheer up."

This seemed to work.

"_We_ are," Iruka corrected him, clicking off his seatbelt. "I don't want to hear you talk like you've got nothing to give."

Kakashi winced. He had a history of being self-deprecating. It was an old habit, one that resurfaced from time to time, proving hard to break. But Iruka was always quick to nip it in the bud, before it blossomed into something darker. He was incredibly grateful for that.

They walked up to the porch together.

Iruka took a deep breath,

"Naruto," he began, "You ready?"

Naruto nodded his head, without saying anything, fumbling with the zipper on his coat. He hugged Ms. Garcia, who kissed the top of his head.

"I'm going to miss you," she cried, holding a balled up Kleenex in her hand.

"Visit me sometime," she said, placing a final kiss to the top of his ruffled blonde hair.

Naruto released her and walked down the steps.

"Take care of him," she waved.

"We will," Iruka said, fighting back a sob.

He felt bad for her, in a way. It seemed bittersweet. She clearly cared a lot about Naruto, had cared for him for who knows how many years. Was Naruto sad about this parting, too?

Iruka looked down at him, searching his blue eyes for any sort of... something. But he didn't find any sadness there. They were the same as when he first looked into them, that night at the aquarium—clear and bright and curious.

"Iru, you ready?" Naruto asked, tugging at his sleeve, throwing back the same question Iruka had greeted him with. A toothy white smile spread across Naruto's face.

Iruka laughed, to keep himself from crying.

_Yes, Naruto. I'm ready. _

TBC

_**End Notes: **_

_I'm not crying, you're crying! T-T _

_That strip scene + kinky sex has been in my head since chapter 1. IT'S MY FAVORITE. Feels amazing to finally write it out. _

_PS. I'm much more active on Ao3, if you want to find me there, under the same username. I like the format over there better, and I've had a better response! (for example, I released this chapter on Ao3 more than a week ago!)_

_If you like this story, ~please~ leave me a comment! That way, I'll know whether to keep updating here for whoever is interested. :D thanks!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes:**

_Welcome home, Naruto!_

_This chapter is a gift for MagnusTesla ;) ;) ;) _

_Trigger warning: mild (consensual) sexual violence. _

**08.**

By the time they had brought Naruto home, it had gone dark. It wasn't that late, but considering it was nearing the end of October, the sun was starting to set earlier in the day.

When they showed him to his room, Naruto sat down on the bed right away. Iruka perched himself in the remaining armchair, while Kakashi lingered in the doorway, Pakkun sitting on top of his feet protectively, still unsure about this new presence in the house.

"Am I sleeping with you?" Naruto asked.

Iruka was taken a back by the question. Was he expecting to sleep with one of them? Was he afraid to sleep alone? He never took that into consideration. He forgot Naruto was used to sharing a room with three other kids.

"Um, no," Iruka began cautiously, not wanting to make him feel insecure.

"Kakashi and I sleep together in the other room. Across the hall," he said, pointing through the door.

"Then why is the bed so big?"

Iruka laughed at the sheer innocence of it, a sense of relief washing over him.

They had decided on a full size bed, instead of a twin, so they wouldn't have to replace it when he got older.

"In case you move a lot in your sleep. We wanted to make sure you didn't roll over and fall off," he joked.

"This whole bed is for _me_?" Naruto asked, wide-eyed.

"Mhmm," Iruka nodded.

"Whoa!" he said, giving his butt a bounce, before falling back to spread his arms and legs out on the mattress.

"Four of me can fit on here!"

Iruka smiled, before glancing over at his husband, needing some sort of reassurance. He got it, in the form of a smile that mostly appeared in his eyes.

"So, Naruto, would you like to unpack your things?" Iruka asked, getting up from the chair.

"There's space in here," he said, opening a dresser drawer, "for some clothes. We bought you a few things, but we can always go to the store and get more, if you want to pick it out yourself. There's a closet, too."

Iruka bit his lip nervously, watching him.

Naruto had got up to drag his orange backpack over to the bed, dumping out it's contents. It contained several articles of clothing, the frog hat Rin had gifted him, the figurine Kakashi had bought him at the aquarium when they first met, and not much else.

Iruka helped him fold the crumpled up clothing, before putting it away. He wrapped his cardigan more tightly around himself, a chill having set in.

"Do you want something warm to drink? We've got hot chocolate or apple ci..."

"Hot chocolate!" Naruto shouted, not waiting for the second option.

"Okay, I'll be right back," he said.

He pinched Kakashi's hip on the way out the door, signaling that he wanted him to follow him into the kitchen. When they were out of sight, Iruka braced himself on the kitchen counter.

"Iruka," Kakashi laughed softly, moving to rub at his back. "You're doing great."

"I'm so nervous," he said, holding out his hand, which was visibly trembling.

Kakashi took it in both of his, kissing the back of it.

"Stay put. I'll make it. Along with a cup of calming tea for _you_," he said, touching Iruka's chin, before opening up an overhead cabinet.

As Kakashi clattered about the stove, Iruka peered around the doorframe of the kitchen, catching a glimpse of Naruto, who was currently sticking out his socked foot for Pakkun to smell.

"What should we do?" Iruka asked, bringing his attention back to his husband, who was stirring the cacao powder into the almond milk.

"Well, it's already 7:00. We don't have to do anything. It's a big night, for all of us. What would we be doing normally?"

"Sitting on the couch. Watching Netflix."

"Then let's do that. There's plenty of kid's stuff on there to watch," Kakashi said, pouring the hot chocolate and tea into two separate mugs.

He held out the tea to Iruka, but Iruka took the hot chocolate instead. He blew on it and gave it a taste.

"A little more sugar. Raw cacao is naturally bitter," he said, handing it back, taking his tea in exchange.

"_Oui_, chef," Kakashi teased, leaving his side to stir in another teaspoon.

Iruka leaned back against the counter, clutching his mug with both hands, shaking his leg anxiously.

Kakashi pushed a hand against his thigh, steadying it.

"Go sit down. I'll get Naruto."

Naruto climbed up beside Iruka on the couch, who was huddled in one of the corners. Kakashi sat on the other side of Naruto. Pakkun looked at Kakashi and whimpered, wanting to jump up on the couch, but still not sure who or _what _Naruto was. He'd never really been around children before.

"It's okay, Pak," Kakashi laughed, slapping his lap. "Come on."

Pakkun hopped up, turning in a circle, before settling down. He eyed Naruto one last time, before relaxing his eyes.

Kakashi picked up the hot chocolate from the coffee table and handed it to Naruto.

"Be careful," he said. "It's still a little hot."

Naruto held onto the mug with one hand, resting it in his lap.

"Can I pet him?" Naruto asked, looking at Pakkun.

"Yeah, but we should wait until he's not in my lap. Let's try tomorrow. He can be protective of me around new people."

"But I'm not going to hurt you," Naruto said, looking at Kakashi with clear, earnest eyes.

It stole Kakashi's breath right out of his lungs. Did Naruto realize the weight of what he had just said? Of what telling Kakashi something like that _meant_? Someone who had been hurt so many times in the past, inadvertently, by people he had loved? Of course he didn't, how could he, but a lump unexpectedly grew in his throat all the same.

Iruka noticed, diverting the attention away from his husband, who he knew would need a moment to recover.

"Pakkun's still grouchy with _me_ sometimes, Naruto. That's Kakashi's baby."

"I saw a dog wearing clothes one time. It was weird," Naruto giggled.

Iruka couldn't help but laugh.

"Kakashi puts clothes on Pakkun," he said, meeting his husband's eyes with a smile, which seemed to be free of tears for now.

"You're weird!" Naruto laughed, pointing at him.

"He gets cold sometimes," Kakashi said, in his defense, rubbing Pakkun behind the ears.

"But dogs have fur. That's like a coat."

"Don't you wear more than one layer when it's really cold outside?"

Naruto thought about that, slurping up a sip of his hot chocolate.

"Sometimes," he said.

"See," Kakashi replied, not about to admit that he sometimes put Pakkun in lightweight shirts, too. And boots. When it snowed.

He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, before Iruka could comment about _that_.

Iruka, having finished his cup of calming tea, was starting to get sleepy. The cartoons weren't doing much to keep him awake. He yawned and looked over at Kakashi. He wanted to curl up into his shoulder or rest his head in his lap, feeling his fingers thread lazily through his hair. There had never been anything in between them before. If they were alone, their limbs would be tangled up in some impossible way that was somehow still comfortable. He felt a dull ache in his chest. Kakashi seemed so far away.

Naruto's head bobbed and rolled, until it fell to rest against Iruka's arm.

Iruka looked down at him in surprise, a hot chocolate stain smeared across his upper lip. He felt another ache in his chest, but it was different this time. It was warm and tingly and new.

Everything was going to change, from this moment on.

Kakashi arched his neck to look down at Naruto, before meeting Iruka's eyes.

"He's asleep," he said, widening his eyes in wonder, as if Naruto nodding off to sleep was the most interesting thing in world, instead of a natural cycle that every human being experienced.

"Should I bring him to bed?"

"He should really brush his teeth," Iruka said, thinking about the sugar.

He made to get up, but Kakashi beat him to it.

"I'll do it. You look like you're ready to pass out."

"Naruto," Kakashi said, nudging him awake.

Naruto blinked open his eyes, sucking in some drool that had escaped his mouth.

"Let's brush your teeth. And get to bed."

Naruto's eyes flickered shut again, his head lolling.

"Naruto?" Kakashi laughed.

"Huh?" he said dreamily, not opening his eyes, settling further into Iruka's arm.

"I think he's in a hot chocolate coma," Kakashi said, giving him a poke, before lifting Naruto up, and taking him to the bathroom.

After Kakashi had finished putting Naruto to bed, he found Iruka still hadn't moved from the couch.

"Do I need to carry you, too?" Kakashi teased.

_Please_, he thought, melting at the idea of his husband's strong arms around him.

Kakashi latched onto his arm and pulled him up.

"That tea always knocks you on your ass. It worries me sometimes."

"It's supposed to," Iruka replied. "It's medicinal."

He had bought it from a health food store, in an attempt to help curb his anxiety naturally.

"Yeah, well, don't drink it when you're not at home, okay? I don't want you zoning out at the wheel or something," Kakashi said, following him into the bathroom.

"I'm _fine_," Iruka laughed, touched by his softness. "It's just amplified because I was already tired before I drank it."

Kakashi eyed him suspiciously in the mirror.

"Still," he said, squirting toothpaste onto his toothbrush, "don't do it."

He pointed his toothbrush at him in warning, before sticking it into his mouth.

After Iruka had washed up, he climbed into bed. It felt like his muscles were sinking right down into it, as if it were a cloud.

When Kakashi entered the bedroom, he made to close the door behind him out of habit.

"We should probably leave it open," Iruka said.

"Oh, huh," he chuckled. "You're right."

Kakashi opened the door wide, before crawling into bed.

They both laid there on their backs, staring at the ceiling in silence.

"This is surreal," Iruka whispered, after a few minutes. "I'm not the only one feeling this way, right?"

"Nope," Kakashi laughed. "It's surreal, alright."

Iruka rolled onto his side, bringing Kakashi's arm with him. Kakashi settled into spooning his husband, nuzzling his nose into his long brown hair.

"Pakkun seems to be doing alright," Iruka said, yawning, hearing the charm on his collar jingle, as the dog shifted on the foot of their bed.

"Yeah, I'm proud of him," Kakashi hummed into his neck.

It sent goosebumps across his skin.

Iruka entangled his arms within Kakashi's, placing a kiss to his knuckles.

"I love you."

"I love you, too," Kakashi said. "But I hate to break it to you, this is _real_," he teased, giving his husband a squeeze. "When we wake up, Naruto's still gonna be there."

"I know," Iruka said. "I can't wait."

After a rather lazy morning, one that involved scrambled eggs and helping Naruto take a bath (which Kakashi promptly opted out of, leaving Iruka to do it), the three of them piled into the car, on their way to the grocery store.

"These are the arms and legs?" Naruto asked, looking down at his own shirt, poking his finger at it. He was wearing a white t-shirt with a large, solid black petroglyph of a _coquí _frog, a gift Iruka had bought for him in Puerto Rico.

"Yes," Iruka said, turning around to look at Naruto, who peered back at him from a top his booster seat.

Kakashi and Iruka had debated about whether or not he needed a car seat still. Kakashi said _no_, and Iruka said _maybe_, so their compromise was this. At least it elevated Naruto enough, so the seatbelt fell across him in the right place.

"The indigenous people of Puerto Rico used that symbol as a way to talk about frogs. Before there were written words, like the ones that we read in books, people drew pictures and symbols to communicate meaning."

"I do that," Naruto said. "Lots of people do."

"I guess you're right," Iruka laughed. "We just call it art now."

Naruto kicked his legs happily against the seat.

"What do you like to eat, Naruto?" Iruka asked, craning around in his seat again.

"Pizza," Naruto said. "Top Ramen. Cheetos. Oreos. Mac n Cheeeeese. Beefaroni."

Iruka internally _screamed_, clutching Kakashi's arm that was perched on the armrest between them.

"Pb & j, chicken nuggets…"

"Most of those weren't even foods, Kakashi. He was naming _brands_," Iruka said softly to his husband, as they walked through the parking lot, one hand latched onto Naruto's.

"Thank god he's getting a physical tomorrow."

They walked through the sliding glass doors of _Trader Joe's_, a small, more "consciously" stocked grocery store. Naruto wouldn't be tempted by any of those brands here, because they were nowhere to be found.

"So, what are the rules?" Kakashi asked, knowing there were some.

"Nothing overly processed or with lots of added sugar. I read that once you start offering sweets, it'll be hard to get them to try new foods that _aren't_ sweet." He said, pulling a cart out from a line of others.

"He's going to eat what we eat. We have almost total control over what he eats now. He'll learn what a good diet is by our choices."

"Where'd you read that?" Kakashi asked, amused, finding it cute that Iruka had obviously done some research. It made sense.

"One of my favorite food blogs."

They hit the produce section first, filling up their cart with a variety of fruits and vegetables. As they were turning down one of the aisles, Naruto noticed a middle-aged woman had dropped some money on the ground. He went over to pick it up and gave her long coat a soft yank.

"You dropped this," he said, looking up at her with his impossibly blue eyes.

She smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said, kindly.

"Aren't you the cutest thing. Where are your parents?" she asked, wanting to compliment the boy's manners.

Naruto pointed down the aisle at Kakashi and Iruka, who were stationed at the end of it.

Kakashi picked up a box of cereal with a picture of a panda on it.

"No," Iruka said.

"He _likes_ cereal," Kakashi said, and if he was being honest, so did he. "I'm not going to be able to cook him a gourmet breakfast every morning, babe. Let's be realistic."

"That's why we have oatmeal," Iruka replied.

Kakashi turned the box around to look at the ingredients.

"There's nothing bad in here. There's corn, but it's non-gmo. And it's certified organic. The sugar is brown rice syrup..."

Iruka reached out for the box, when a woman came over to them.

"Which one of you is his father?" she asked, sweetly.

Kakashi and Iruka looked at her, both of their hands on the box of cereal, mid tug-of-war. There was the slightest moment of hesitation before…

"We both are," they said, at the same time.

"Did something happen?" Iruka followed up, concerned, looking down at Naruto, who appeared happy and fully intact.

She looked at them in confusion for a minute, her eyes analytically drifting over them, before landing on Kakashi's baseball cap. It was black, with the word _heterophobic_ stitched across it, in orange cursive.

It was apparent when it dawned on her, the way her face had changed.

It made Kakashi's blood boil.

"I was the one who carried him," he said, placing a hand on his belly. "I'm not sure where the blue eyes came from. Genetics are mysterious, right, sweetheart?" Kakashi said, placing his other hand on Iruka's arm.

She walked away in horror as Naruto laughed.

"Boy's can't have babies!"

_Well,_ Iruka thought, _not cis-men_. But he'd save _that_ conversation for another day.

"Kakashi was being silly…" Iruka said, glaring at his husband, but when Kakashi waggled his eyebrows at him, it turned into a smile before he could help himself.

"That hat's going to bring trouble one day," Iruka said.

"Yeah, for someone _else_," Kakashi grinned.

Iruka rolled his eyes as they pushed their cart to the check out counter, with two boxes of cereal resting triumphantly on top.

The rest of the week went by incredibly fast. They had bought Naruto a bike, which he picked out, all the detail painted orange, and taught him how to ride it. Despite all the scraped elbows and knees Iruka had attended to, he learned rather quickly. He was able to pedal without Kakashi's guidance, after only three days.

It was a Sunday evening, and they had just finished eating dinner together; a meal of spaghetti and meatballs. Iruka had made it from scratch, shoving as many hidden vegetables into the mix as he could. He had come to find out that Naruto wasn't as picky of an eater as he expected. He tried _everything_, and so far the only thing he refused to eat were mushrooms, but Iruka suspected it was a texture thing.

"Is your bag all packed?" Iruka asked, handing off a dish to Naruto.

"Yep," Naruto said from atop his footstool, running the dish under the warm water.

The three of them were currently in an assembly line. Iruka was soaping up the dishes, Naruto was rinsing, and Kakashi lay in wait, a dish towel draped over his shoulder.

"Are you nervous to start school tomorrow, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, wiping a plate dry.

"No, I have Sasuke!" Naruto said.

Kakashi and Iruka shared an amused look. They found it curious how this bright ball of energy had latched onto a dark angtsy mass. They had taken the two of them to the Children's Museum yesterday, and while everything sparked curiosity and giggly joy from Naruto, Sasuke took it in with indifference and annoyance, or at least it had appeared that way to Iruka. Kakashi thought differently.

Iruka had feared that Sasuke's attitude would rub off on Naruto, but it bounced right off him. Maybe it's what made them such a good match.

"Don't forget to get off the bus with Sasuke tomorrow," Iruka reminded him. "And make sure you behave for Mikoto."

"I will."

When the last dish had been dried and put away, Iruka turned to them and asked,

"Who wants to play _Mole Rats in Space_?"

Iruka was referring to a wacky, cooperative board game Naruto had picked out from Target the other day. It relied on team strategy to communicate and problem solve. The goal was to help the mole rats gather supplies and make it to the escape pod before snakes attacked. If you're successful, everybody wins.

Naruto jumped off the footstool with a very enthusiastic _me!_

It had been a month since they adopted Naruto. One beautiful, enriching, life-altering month.

Iruka had nothing to complain about, aside from one thing.

They hadn't had sex for almost three _weeks_. Forget about fucking; there had been no touching, no head, no _nothing_, either. Completely dry. That's the longest they've gone for as far back as Iruka can remember, not counting the time he was in Canada for six months. They had tried a few times late at night, at Kakashi's initiative, but Iruka would jump at every small noise, unable to relax, ruining the barest hint of a mood there had been to begin with.

Needless to say, it was starting to build up.

It was a Monday, Iruka's day off, and he had spent the morning at the gym, trying to work off some tension, but nothing seemed to work. Not the weights, nor the million laps he swam, because when he retired to the locker room, he still felt it pumping hot through his veins.

He'd just gotten home and was contemplating taking care of it _himself_, but he knew no matter what he did, he'd be left unsatisfied. He had a thirst that only Kakashi could quench.

He needed to figure something out soon, even if he had to schedule it, _dammit._

He picked up his phone to call Rin, wanting to see when she might be available to babysit, but he ended the call mid-dial.

He was struck with a much better, more immediate, idea.

He dialed Kakashi's office instead.

"Humane Society, Kakashi speaking."

"Hey, it's me. Have you taken your lunch yet?"

"Uh, no," he sighed. "I've been caught at my desk."

_God_, just hearing Kakashi blow air at the phone had him losing his shit.

"Take it at 1. Meet me at _City Mouse_," he said, hanging up, not giving Kakashi a chance to decline.

Iruka threw open his closet and contemplated what to wear. He ended up pulling out a pair of olive green pants with a loose black sweater. He threw his hair up in a messy bun before wrapping it in a cream and red patterned headscarf. He pulled a few strategic pieces of hair out to frame his face, slipped into a pair of heeled black ankle boots, and headed out the door.

Iruka was already seated, sipping on hot ginger tea with honey, when Kakashi arrived.

"Sorry I'm late. Got held up…" he said, vaguely.

When he relaxed into his seat, he looked at Iruka fully, taking him in for the first time.

"Well, you look _exceptionally_ good," Kakashi said, passing his tongue along his bottom lip.

He loved when Iruka wrapped his hair up like that. There was something so strongly feminine about it, yet it didn't take away from his masculinity at all, striking a perfect balance of both.

His eyes moved to the wide neck of his sweater, which revealed the top of his prominent collarbones.

Kakashi swallowed, trying to push down the urge to sink his teeth into them, feeling an ache start to build in his groin.

Iruka wasn't the only one who was suffering. Kakashi's sex drive was high at the best of times, but this had him feeling like a pot of scalding hot water, threatening to boil over at the _slightest_ increase in heat.

He attempted to distract himself by picking up the menu.

When the waiter walked away with Iruka's credit card, he took a hotel key out of his pocket and slid it to the center of the table without saying a word.

The thing about this restaurant was that it was located in the lobby of the Ace Hotel, and Iruka had conveniently reserved a room.

Kakashi was leaning back in his seat, taking a sip of water, when he saw it. He raised an eyebrow at him above his glass, before putting it down and running a hand through his hair. He leaned onto the table with his elbows.

"Is this a booty call, Iruka Umino?" he smirked.

The waiter had brought their tab back, placing it on the table, thanking them for their business, but neither of them had broken their stare.

"How much longer do you have?" Iruka asked, feeling his heart rate start to speed up with anticipation.

Kakashi looked at his watch.

"20 minutes."

There were other people in the elevator when they entered, forcing them to play it cool all the way to their room. But when that door snapped shut behind them, they _exploded_ with energy, ripping through the room like a tornado, knocking tourist brochures off the desk, as Kakashi lifted Iruka up onto the wood.

Kakashi scrambled out of his suit jacket as Iruka removed his own sweater. Iruka's hands went straight to Kakashi's skinny black tie and Kakashi's dived for the buttons on his pants, their lips crashing against each other in the process.

With deft fingers, Iruka swiftly undid Kakashi's belt, shoving his pants down over his ass. He pulled Kakashi into a passionate kiss, rolling his tongue around his, shoving it into every possible inch of his mouth, getting high off the taste of husband. He nibbled and sucked at his bottom lip, before probing his tongue in again. _Fuck_, did he miss this.

Kakashi slid his hands beneath Iruka's thighs, pulling him roughly into his own body. Iruka wrapped his legs around his waist in response, winding a hand in his hair, giving it a tug. Kakashi attacked his neck with a series of wet kisses, sinking his teeth into the collarbone he'd been lusting after 15 minutes ago, swiping his tongue over the same spot to soothe the pain, before finding his lips again.

Iruka hopped down from the desk, never disconnecting their mouths, guiding him all the way back to the edge of the bed, causing Kakashi to collapse into it when his legs made contact. Iruka pulled his slacks the rest of the way off him, before removing his own pants. He made quick work of the buttons on Kakashi's dress shirt too, suppressing the urge to rip it open without care. Much to his utter fucking delight, Kakashi wasn't wearing an undershirt. He raked his nails down his bare chest, causing Kakashi to suck in his stomach on reflex.

"_Iruka..."_ Kakashi began desperately, reaching for him with hooded eyes, but Iruka took Kakashi's face roughly in his hand, his fingers digging into the sides of his cheeks, silencing him.

He quickly unwrapped the scarf from around his hair and gagged Kakashi with it, tying it at the back of his head.

"Don't speak," he said, in what resembled a growl.

_Fuck_. He was feeling uncontrollable. _Feral_. He wanted to rip into Kakashi with everything he had.

Kakashi breathed hard through his nose, the sweet smell of his husband reaching him on his inhale. The scarf was saturated with it, sending his hormones into a full out frenzy.

Kakashi made to grab at the band of his briefs, but Iruka forcefully removed his hands, pinning them to the bed by the wrist.

"_No_," Iruka said.

Kakashi bore his eyes into him in challenge, his chest heaving hard from his restricted breathing, but what he found there shocked him; Iruka's look _alone_ was enough to keep him pinned to the bed.

Iruka removed Kakashi's briefs, before taking off his own. He decided to leave his dress shirt on, liking the way the white fabric framed his husband's fit torso. He came to straddle Kakashi, bringing the lube with him. He ran a finger down Kakashi's ribs, passing over the face of the black dragon that was inked there, before dipping that same hand down, to touch himself.

Kakashi pushed out a hard breath as he watched, moving his hips around beneath him, in yearning.

Iruka closed his eyes, taking a fistful of Kakashi's shirt in his hand, as he worked himself with the other. He bit into his own lip, trying to prevent himself from doubling over, rocking into his own touch on top of Kakashi's body.

He brought Kakashi's erection flush with his own, wrapping his hand around them both, and started to pump again.

Kakashi's head fell back in pleasure, the only thing able to pry his eye's off his husband's show.

That's_ it_.

He couldn't take it anymore. Kakashi's dominant energy was rising up in him like the tide, wanting to crash all over his husband's body. He made to lift himself up from the bed, but Iruka pinned him down with his forearm, locking him in by the neck. He applied considerable force, pressing hard up beneath his chin.

"I said _no_. You're going to lay there obediently while I fuck you."

When Iruka released him, Kakashi coughed and sputtered beneath his gag, but it only heightened his need, turning him on tremendously. Kakashi liked to be handled.

If he could speak, he'd say _Yes. YES. Please fuck the shit out of me you sexy fucking man. I beg you. _But since he couldn't, he communicated it with his eyes, sending a _smoldering _look in Iruka's direction, causing Iruka's breath to hitch.

Iruka frantically lubed up his fingers, knowing he'd have to prep Kakashi. He rarely bottomed, so when Iruka pushed his second finger in, Kakashi gripped at his thigh.

Iruka was trying so damn hard to be patient, but he couldn't be anymore. He knew he was going to cause Kakashi pain, but part of him didn't care, so overcome was he with desire, and he knew Kakashi wouldn't care either. He was probably cursing him right now, for taking so long.

He ripped open a condom, rolled it on, rubbed it up with lube, and rammed into Kakashi without warning.

Kakashi gave a muffled cry, his body tensing up, before coming to relax around Iruka.

Iruka began to thrust slowly, carefully, but when Kakashi raised a leg above his shoulder, giving him a better angle to work with, he sunk in _deep_.

"_Coño_, you're so tight, Kakashi," Iruka said, his breath shuddering.

He could no longer be polite. He latched onto Kakashi's hips and thrust into him hard and fast, slapping up against his body, inciting muffled moans to escape from Kakashi's mouth. He channeled all his pent up tension into his movements, fucking Kakashi down into the mattress.

He watched as his husband fisted the sheets beneath his hands, before coming to clutch at Iruka's arms, and then fall back to grab desperately at the bed again. He was starting to get red in the face, from his inability to pull in enough oxygen.

The sight of his husband writhing in pleasure, near _suffering_ from the intensity of it, caused his own orgasm to come forward and push to it's peak.

He gave his hips a few final thrusts, his moans coming out in short bursts, before he shook with pleasure, releasing his orgasm into his lover's ass. Kakashi came seconds later, shooting a white hot mess all over his own abdomen.

After their last waves had bucked through them, Kakashi shot his hands up to his gag and removed it, letting it fall to rest on his neck.

He gasped for air, as Iruka pulled out, and rolled off him, collapsing into the mattress.

"What. In the fuck," Kakashi panted heavily, "was _that_?"

For a split second, Iruka was paranoid that Kakashi was upset, but it was quickly remedied.

"Iruka…that was… _so_ hot… how the…" he trailed off, speechless, putting both hands over his eyes in sheer disbelief, his chest still heaving.

He spun the scarf around on his neck, untying it, before whipping Iruka across the chest with it.

"Bottom, _my ass, _" he laughed.

If his cheeks weren't already pink, Kakashi would have seen him blush.

"Your _ass_ is going to be sore tomorrow," Iruka replied, stealing the scarf from him.

"It was totally worth it."

"Yeah?"

"_Fuck_ yeah. If this is what happens after we've been abstinent for a while, maybe we should abstain more often," Kakashi teased.

"Take it back!" Iruka cried, rolling over onto his side, hooking a leg over Kakashi's body. "You don't mean it."

"As _if_ I could resist you for that long," Kakashi smiled, cupping his ass in his hand, before glancing at his watch.

"I've gotta go," he groaned, lifting Iruka up by the chin and giving him a kiss. He moved to get up off the bed.

Iruka sat up when he heard the shower turn on. It turned off half a minute later, as his husband walked out in a towel. He watched him get dressed, getting up to help him with his tie.

Kakashi yielded, letting Iruka do it for him, taking the opportunity to trace every inch of his husband's face with his eyes, including the light scar that ran over his nose and across his cheeks. He never failed to be astounded by his beauty. It was so fucking… _natural_.

His eyes dropped to his lips and he felt himself getting aroused again, images of what just happened flashing through his mind. Iruka had topped before, but there was something different about it this time. Something that left him craving for more.

"You've ruined me," Kakashi said. "I'm gonna have a whole identity crisis now."

Since Iruka's hunger had been satiated, the same energy wasn't coursing through him anymore. His first instinct was to feel embarrassed and shy, but he couldn't help but take that as the highest compliment. Kakashi was going to be pining for _him_ to top now? That was something new. Something he could…play with.

"Well, we're 30. It's about time for a mid-life crisis," Iruka teased.

Kakashi laughed, before enveloping him in a kiss.

"You're a genius, you know that?"

"This was a pretty good plan, wasn't it?" Iruka smiled, the indents of his dimples becoming apparent, the same ones that made Kakashi weak in the knees.

He looked down at this husband.

"Aren't you going to get dressed?"

"After I shower."

"Maybe you should put your boots on _first_," Kakashi said, eyeing the two-inch heel on them from the floor, knowing his legs would like _dynamite_ in them.

"Pervert," Iruka said, pulling him into another kiss by the sides of his suit jacket, slipping in a bit of tongue this time.

"_Ugh_," Kakashi groaned, finding it hard to pull away from his husband's lips. "I'll see you at home. I expect you to be waiting for me, naked, with nothing but those boots on."

"Well, you'll find me at the kitchen table, fully clothed, helping our son with his homework."

"Hm." Kakashi hummed, "That's just as sexy. I'll take it."

"_Go_," Iruka laughed, feeling himself blush again. "Before you're late."

Kakashi shamelessly gave his husband's body one final look, before turning for the door.

How he was going to go back to work _now_, he had no idea.

**End Notes:**

Get itttt, Iruka. :D

Me-ow!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes:**

_Warning: teeth may fall out due to the level of fluff in this chapter. _

_It's a long one. Enjoy, my loves!_

_Oh! I'm not sure if this qualifies as a trigger warning, but there are some events revolving around an abusive relationship and the resulting trauma near the end. Just wanted to put that out there. _

**09.**

Kakashi was standing in the locker room at the Academy in nothing but a pair of black leggings, towel drying his hair, the tile cold against his bare feet. He had just gotten out of the shower after a rather grueling training session. His sparing partner had really given him a work out today. He wasn't sure if his opponent had gotten better, having gone at it with him before, or if he had been slacking off, not having as much time to train anymore. Both were equally likely.

Being a Dad was, well, time-consuming. Not that he was complaining, having Naruto in his life fulfilled him in a way he wasn't expecting. He didn't even _know_ something had been missing, until Naruto wiggled his way into his heart and made a home there.

Having come to the Academy straight from work, he told Iruka not to count on him being home for dinner, which felt sort of sacrilegious. Iruka had become extremely adamant about family dinners, wanting to solidify it as a tradition. A place where they came together and connected, no matter how hectic their days had been. If you were going to miss dinner, you better have a good reason.

Kakashi thought this qualified as one. He had started to feel wound up. Irritated. Claustrophobic. He always felt like that if he'd been absent from the Academy for too long. He not only needed the exercise physically, but mentally, too. It cleansed any toxic energy and thoughts from his system. He had needed this time alone.

He tugged on a pair of gym shorts over his spandex, slipped into a thermal and a grey hoodie, before sitting down to dry off his feet and get into his shoes. He packed his bag, stuck in his headphones (clicking on Set Your Goal's _Mutiny!_), pulled his hood up over his head, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed out the door.

He crossed through the gym, paying no mind to what was going on around him (his peripheral vision blocked by his hood), so it surprised him when he felt a tug on his elbow.

He pulled a headphone out of one of his ears and turned to face whoever it was.

"Kakashi!"

"Hey, uh, Gai, right?"

"You remembered! I thought I'd run into you sooner than this."

Kakashi gave him a shy smile, not really knowing what to say. He skills at small talk were slim to none.

"Do you want to spar? I just got here, so I'm full of fresh energy!" Gai said, bouncing on his feet while punching at the air, even though it was rather obvious Kakashi was on his way out.

"I can't. I've gotta get home. Maybe some other time," he said, making to put his earphone in again, but Gai kept on speaking.

"I see you have a match on Saturday. If I win my next one this week, it'll be me you're facing."

"Then I definitely don't want to spar. I don't want to show you what I can do. Not that it'll help you," Kakashi teased.

"I forgot you were an arrogant son of a gun," Gai laughed.

"_Confident_," Kakashi corrected him. And okay, maybe a _little_ arrogant, but he had reason to be. He was undefeatable.

"Coach!" someone yelled from the ring.

Kakashi peered around Gai to see a young boy that looked eerily similar to Gai himself.

"That's one of my students, Lee," Gai said, noticing his gaze. "Well, I hope to put that _confidence_ of yours to the test this weekend then," he said, giving a punch to Kakashi's shoulder, still bouncing on his feet.

"I hope so too," Kakashi said, feeling an urge to fight him now, if only to just make him shut up about it. "I'll see you around, Gai."

He put his earplugs in and headed out to his car.

The rest of the week went by quickly, bringing several inches of snow with it. Friday had arrived, marking the beginning of Naruto's holiday break. Kakashi was on his way home from work, minutes away from picking Naruto up at Mikoto's.

He pulled into the Uchiha's driveway and hopped out of the car, walking up to the stoop to ring the bell.

The door was pulled open by Fugaku, who didn't give him much of a greeting aside from a small nod, before opening the door to let Kakashi step inside. His eyes went straight to Kakashi's empty hostler. Their branch of the Humane Society was associated with the police force. Kakashi had been encouraged to go through all the training, certifying him to carry a gun. He didn't like it though, and never brought it home. He kept it locked up at the office.

"I'll let Naruto know you're here."

"Thanks," he said, wiping his feet on the doormat before sitting on a bench to his left.

Kakashi stood up when he saw Naruto shuffling down the hall.

"Hey, Naruto," Kakashi said, as Naruto wrapped his arms around his legs in a hug. It shocked Kakashi _every_ time. "How was school today?" he asked, lightly placing a hand on top of his head.

"Good! Can we go sledding?! Sasuke didn't want to."

"We're going to the Arboretum soon, remember? Maybe tomorrow."

"Oh yeah! See you later, Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, even though Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

Kakashi made a simple snack of apples and peanut butter for Naruto while they waited for Iruka to come home. Tonight, they were going out to dinner with Itachi, Kisame, and Sasuke, before going to the light's display at the Morten Arboretum.

When Iruka came up the stairs, he saw Kakashi and Naruto building something out of K-nex on the rug in the sitting room.

"_Hola, mi familia_," Iruka said, slipping out of his jacket, hanging it in the closet.

"_Ru!"_ Naruto yelled, jumping up to pull him towards their invention. Naruto had made a habit of dropping off the I in _Iru_, settling with the one syllable, _Ru_.

"Look what we made!"

Iruka dropped to his knees on the rug, leaning over to give his husband a quick kiss in greeting.

"What's this?"

"It's a house. For Pakkun."

Iruka saw one of Naruto's shirts bundled up on the bottom.

"That's the bed," Naruto said, pointing to the shirt. "And his water goes here. And food here."

"Should we see if he likes it?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah!"

"_Pakkun_," Kakashi called.

The dog come trotting into the room obediently, tail wagging.

"Here, Naruto. Put that in there," Kakashi said, handing him a treat.

Naruto placed it on top of the "bed" and watched as Pakkun walked skeptically into the structure, grabbing the treat, before backing slowly out of it.

"He fits! But he doesn't like the bed. I guess 'cause it's not real. It's only my shirt. It's not that comfy," he said, sadly.

"Or maybe he's not tired," Iruka suggested.

"Prolly! It's not night. Can we leave it here until night?"

"Sure," Iruka smiled.

"I'm going to get cleaned up," Iruka said, using Kakashi's shoulder to lift himself up. "We should leave in 30 minutes."

By the time they walked into _One Ten Thai_, they found the other three already seated, all on one side of the table. Naruto took the seat across from Sasuke, as they slid into the other two.

"Have you been waiting long?" Iruka asked.

"_Forever_. I'm starving," Itachi said, sarcastically.

"We just got here," Kisame laughed, "we did order some dumplings though, to start with."

"Sounds great."

"Did you see the e-mail from Tsunade?" Kisame asked, as Iruka settled into his seat.

"Uh, no?"

"It just came through. She wants us to submit our evaluations of all the volunteers before the end of the year. Which is like, in a week. I've worked with over 15 volunteers this year. She is aware of that, right?"

"She's probably _very_ aware of that. But she's looking for a new keeper for the otters, so I'm sure that's what this is about. I thought about inviting her over for Christmas Eve. She doesn't have any family here, and since her and Shizune split..."

"You can try. I doubt she'd come," Kisame said, leaning back from the table, as their waiter dropped the dumplings off. "You know how she is."

"Have you decided what the two of you are going to do?" Iruka asked, after they had all placed their orders.

"Nothing," Itachi deadpanned. "Christmas is cancelled. Indefinitely."

"Your family doesn't even celebrate Christmas," Kakashi said, stopping Naruto's hand as it went to dip into his water glass, fishing for ice.

"Exactly."

"But _I_ like Christmas. I've celebrated it my whole life," Kisame said.

"Why didn't you guys fly to California, then? To spend it with your family?" Iruka asked.

"Why doesn't my cup have any ice?" Naruto whined,

"Because you always take it out and play with it," Iruka said, before turning to his husband. "_Corta uno de estos para tu hijo_." (Cut on of these for your son.)

"Sorry, you were saying?" Iruka said, meeting Kisame's eyes again.

Kisame looked down at his plate.

"My Dad's not too thrilled about our engagement," he said, before shoving a soy sauce soaked dumpling into his mouth.

Kakashi's eyes moved to the black band adorning Itachi's ring finger. Kisame had asked him to marry him almost a month ago now (_without_ Kakashi spoiling it, thank you very much). He had obviously said yes, clearing up his whole cheating theory. Kisame almost split his stomach in laughter, when Itachi told him about it, much to Itachi's annoyance.

"Why don't you spend it with us? My mom always cooks way too much. She can't help herself," Iruka said. "It's not a cliché American Christmas either. We're a bunch of Puerto Ricans. The food will be different, and the music. It'll barely be recognizable." Iruka added, in case this persuaded Itachi.

"I don't want to impose…" Kisame said, even though his face had lit up at the thought.

"You wouldn't be. We'd be happy to have you, Sasuke, too." Iruka said, meeting Sauske's eyes. "Think about it."

"Aren't you glad I reserved tickets?" Iruka said, smiling sweetly at Kakashi.

They had pulled into a _packed_ parking lot at the Arboretum. Kakashi had told Iruka that he didn't think it was necessary to pre-order tickets, harping on him for worrying too much. There was no way it would sell out, he said. It was_ cold_, he said. And snowing.

He glanced at the sign that read _SOLD OUT_ in big, bold, black letters.

"You were right. As always," Kakashi said, leaning in to give him a chaste kiss. When Iruka pulled back, Kakashi tugged him in for a second one by the collar of his coat, not having gotten enough.

"Let's go, let's go!" Naruto said impatiently, taking off his seatbelt, trying to pry open the locked car door, and failing.

Iruka got out of the car and circled around to Naruto's door, before he unlocked it by reaching through the driver's side. A precaution he had taken to making, since Naruto had made a habit of jumping out and running off in excitement.

Iruka stood in front of him, readjusting the frog hat on his head.

"_Dame tus manos_," Iruka said, tapping Naruto's hand.

He was teaching Naruto Spanish the same way he had taught Kakashi: by constantly speaking it until he could infer the meaning. Since the language wasn't primary in their house, it wouldn't make him fluent, but he could at least understand and respond when Iruka spoke to him, just like Kakashi did.

Naruto held out his hands and Iruka slipped gloves over them. He attempted to try and re-tie his shoe, too, but Naruto was bouncing anxiously in his seat.

"Naruto, hold still for a minute."

"But Sasuke's already out of the car," he whined, "I can see him!"

"_Pues muchacho_, the faster you sit still, the faster you'll get out."

At that, Naruto went stiff as a board, his face oddly serious. As if keeping it blank was also required. Iruka couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok, you're done," he said, tapping his shoe. "You have to stay with me until we're out of the parking lot."

When they were safely inside the entrance, Iruka let go of his hand.

Kakashi and Iruka had been coming to this light show ever since it debuted three years ago. It was truly a fantastic sight, and the best part about it was, you could enjoy it whether you celebrated Christmas or not.

There was no lit up Santa's or reindeers. No over-played worn out songs sung by Mariah Carey. It was, for all intensive purposes, a work of art; one that focused solely on highlighting the beauty of trees in winter.

Iruka grabbed a map before they stepped onto the one-mile path that wound through the grounds.

Their first stop was a group of sycamore trees that lit up when you hugged them.

Naruto thought it was a riot. He stepped back and hugged it three times in a row, the color changing each time, before he grabbed Sasuke.

"Hug it, Sasuke!"

"I'm not hugging a tree," Sasuke scoffed. "That's stupid."

"Do it, look!" Naruto said, hugging it tightly again, his face pressed against it. "Ah! Green this time!"

Naruto backed away and pointed at it.

"Give it a hug! The tree likes it!"

"No."

Before Sasuke knew what was happening, Naruto had pushed him into the tree, hugging him from behind, the two of them smashed up against the trunk, Sasuke's cheek smushed into the cold bark.

"_Blue!_"

They continued on down the path, bringing them to grove of fir trees. Two dozen or so elegant chandeliers were suspended from their snow-covered branches. It was nothing short of magical. It looked like some sort of grand ballroom for fairies and sprites.

"Wow," Kisame said. "I feel like I'm in the woods of _Lothlórien_ or something."

Iruka looked at him in amused surprise.

"Did you really just make a _Lord of the Rings_ reference?"

"Hey. I read. Don't act so surprised," he laughed, "I might get offended."

"It's our favorite roleplay," Itachi chimed in.

"Oh my god, Itachi," Kisame said. "You don't just tell people that."

Itachi shrugged as if it were no big deal.

Kakashi barked out a laugh.

"Part of me wants to know who is who but at the same time, I really don't," Kakashi said.

"Don't act like it's weird," Itachi said. "I'm sure you and Iruka have your kinks. In fact, I _know_ you do," he emphasized.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Iruka said, eyeing his husband questionably, wondering what _private_ secrets Kakashi had revealed to his best friend.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, a smirk on his face.

"For the record I'm-usually-Galadriel-or-Elrond-and-Kisame-is-Thorin-or-Kili," Itachi said quickly, before running away, Kisame at his heels.

"What! How is Kisame a dwarf?!" Kakashi called at their backs.

"He would be a pompous ass elf," Kakashi said to Iruka, laughing.

Iruka shook his head as if to say _I don't want to picture this anymore._

Kakashi lifted Naruto up onto his shoulders to get a closer look at the intricate pattern engraved on the chandelier's case, his head now level with the lights. The design shone onto Naruto's face as he poked at it softly, causing it to gently swing on the branch.

Iruka's heart expanded twice it's size. He pulled out his phone, camera at the ready.

"Kakashi," Iruka called.

When he turned around, he snapped it. Kakashi wasn't a huge fan of being in front of the camera, but if Iruka could catch him _candidly_, it always took his breath away.

He glanced down at the photo. Kakashi had a content smile on his face, his nose tinted pink from the cold, with his hands holding onto Naruto's ankles. Naruto's face was lit up with pure joy. All of this was framed by the glowing chandeliers. Iruka wondered how fast he could get this printed and hung in their house.

He pocketed his cell phone and slid an arm around Kakashi's waist, before leaning in to kiss him. He had meant for it to be quick, but he got lost in the way his body heated up from the inside, cupping Kakashi's face with both his hands, not wanting to part from his lips.

Naruto bounced a gloved hand off the top of Iruka's head.

"Eww!" He giggled, "Stop kissing! I'm right here."

"I'm going to kiss your Dad as much as I want," Iruka said, rising up on his tip-toes to place one on Kakashi's forehead. "And you, too!" Iruka said, grabbing Naruto's gloved hand to smother it in kisses, before attacking his leg.

"Ahh!" Naruto laughed. "Stop! It tickles!" he said, flailing, as Kakashi clutched his ankles tighter, so he wouldn't go toppling backwards.

"Ru, lift Sasuke up! Then we can be up here together!"

Iruka glanced at Sasuke, not opposed to the idea, but Sasuke shot him a look that said _don't even think about it_.

"Hey, where's 'Tachi and Kis'me?" Naruto asked, now walking beside Sasuke.

"How should I know? Probably making out somewhere in the woods," Sasuke said, irritatingly.

"Gross!"

They found them a few minutes later sitting on a bench beside the trail, in front of a frozen pond, looking rather pleased with themselves. The chances that they _were_ making out in the woods, was probably pretty high.

Their next stop was Symphony Woods, where lighting fixtures on the ground synchronized, beat by beat, to a soundtrack of _The Nutcracker_, recorded by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It cast thin beams of colored light on groups of trees as if they were ensembles of the orchestra itself. Percussion hit the trees in the back, strings on the left. It felt like walking inside an amphitheater.

"This is incredible, I have to admit. Thank you for inviting us," Itachi said, smiling at Kakashi.

"Anytime. I knew you'd like this part the best."

Kakashi was aware that Itachi's parents used to take him to see the Chicago Symphony every year for his birthday when he was growing up. He had even been invited once, but had declined. He couldn't even remember why. It was in high school, so he probably thought he was too cool for it. He laughed at himself. What a shame.

"What time's your match tomorrow?" Itachi asked, jostling him out of his thoughts.

"7 pm."

"I think we're going to come this time. Kisame's been wanting to see you fight forever," Itachi said, taking his eyes off the trees to glance at Kakashi.

"_Ha._ You're going to subject yourself to that? Man, you must really like this guy, huh?" Kakashi teased.

"I better. I agreed to be his husband not too long ago," Itachi said. "As much as I don't see the point in men trying beat the shit out of each other for sport, I have to admit, it is rather impressive to watch you. I don't know how Iruka does it, though. I'm surprised he even goes, with his anxiety."

"His anxiety would be a million times worse if he stayed at home. His theory is, if he's there, and I'm on the brink of death, he'd be able to take me to the hospital, or at the very least, be with me on my last breath," Kakashi joked, flashing Itachi a wide grin.

"_Please_. No one ever leaves so much as a scratch on you."

Kakashi shrugged, as if to say, _you never know_.

"So, have you thought about the wedding at all?" Kakashi asked, changing the subject, watching as Naruto spun around in a circle with his tongue out, trying to catch snow. He ended up tripping over his own feet, falling flat on his butt.

"I thought about not having one, if that's what you mean. No one would come, at this rate," Itachi said, dryly.

"Fugaku still being a pain in the ass?"

"He's not being anything. After the big blow out, he's been refusing to talk to me. As if marrying a man is some sort of big _freaking_ shock. I've only been out since I was 16. He'd rather me be _privately_ gay."

"Well, we would come," Kakashi said, slinging an arm around his shoulder, pulling Itachi into him. Itachi was a head shorter than Kakashi, making this position a very comfortable fit. "And Mikoto would definitely come. I'm sure some of Kisame's family would, too."

"His mom wants us to have it in a church," Itachi said, his lip curling.

"And how do you feel about that?"

"Can you see me getting married in a church?" Itachi asked, shivering dramatically.

"Definitely not," Kakashi laughed, knowing full well that Itachi was agnostic.

"I like what you and Iruka did. It was small and different. Beautiful, yet classy."

Kakashi and Iruka had gotten married inside the Japanese Botanical Garden, walled in by a bamboo forest, beneath a red _torii_.

"It was pretty special," Kakashi said, in remembrance.

"If we do anything, outside would be nice."

Itachi's eyes moved to Sasuke's back, who was currently in an argument with Naruto as to whether or not Christmas lights produced enough heat to melt snow. Guess who thought what.

"I want to start spending more time with Sasuke," he confided. "Now that my thesis is over with."

Kakashi looked at him, dropping his arm.

"I think you're off to a good start."

"I know our age difference is… quite big, but I want to be there for him. Sometimes I think he looks at me as more of an authority figure, than a brother."

Itachi and Sasuke were nearly 20 years apart. Their parents had had Itachi when they were very young and Itachi knew Sasuke was, well, not exactly planned.

"I wouldn't say that. He may think he's an expert at hiding his emotions, but I've seen him look at you a few times, the same way I've caught Naruto looking at Iruka. He loves you. Looks up to you. And, if we're being honest here, Fugaku's not going to win the best dad award anytime soon."

"He may be cold, Kakashi, but he tries sometimes. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a father like Sakumo."

"_Had_," Kakashi corrected him, feeling an ache at the base of his throat.

"He may not physically be here anymore, but he's still your father. You still have everything he left you with. Which is more love than I've ever seen a father exude," Itachi said, giving him a stern look, colored lights reflecting off his glasses.

Aside from Rin, Itachi was the only person close to Kakashi who had known his father. He was extremely grateful for that. He found comfort in it. Iruka never had the chance to meet him. He died before they had started dating, much to Kakashi's remorse. He knew Sakumo would have loved Iruka, embraced him like his own son.

"But you're right," Itachi sighed. "Fugaku is absent a lot. And so was I. I've been away at college, and then graduate school, since the day he was born essentially. "

"Yeah, well, you've still got plenty of time. He's only 8, Itachi. I have a feeling our hang outs are going to be psuedo-dad dates now," Kakashi joked, nudging him with his elbow.

"What a coincidence he gets a long with Naruto so well, huh?" Kakashi mused, looking at the two of them.

"You know," Itachi laughed, something close to a sparkle in his eye, "I don't think it's a coincidence at all."

They stopped at one of the warming tents, to grab hot chocolate and sit by a cracking bonfire. Iruka almost refused Naruto a s'more, but Kakashi had it off the stick and into Naruto's hand before Iruka could stop him, a smug, satisfied look on his face.

Their last stop before leaving was Tinsel Harmony. An interactive exhibition that had you sing to the trees, in order to make them light up and dance with different colors. The colors changed based on the pitch and notes sang.

Iruka had to_ pry_ Naruto away from the microphone after ten minutes, so other people could take a turn, receiving a roaring applause from the surrounding crowd. Even though his singing was more like _wailing_, and horribly off-pitch, it was still adorable, only because it came from an eight year old.

"You were terrible," Sasuke said, trying his best to hide a smile, but it wasn't working.

"No way! Did you see all the colors I made? Everybody clapped!"

"They clapped because you finally shut up," Sasuke teased.

Naruto burst out singing at the top of his lungs again, chasing Sasuke around, as they made their way back to the entrance.

The following morning brought more snow, much to Naruto's delight. The three of them had suited up and spent a frigid two hours sledding down a hill at the local park. No matter how many times Naruto ran up the hill, he never seemed to get tired.

Pakkun had finally warmed up to Naruto. In fact, that was an understatement. He _adored _Naruto, so much so, that he had allowed Naruto to bring him onto the sled, clutching his body, as they zipped down the hill together.

The rest of the afternoon was spent huddled beneath blankets on the couch, as homemade chicken soup simmered on the stove. They introduced Naruto to their favorite holiday movies, starting with _Nightmare Before Christmas_.

After several steaming bowls of hot soup, Kakashi retired to their room to change and get ready to go. There were still several hours before his match, but he always got there early (surprisingly), leaving him plenty of time to complete his pre-match rituals that mostly revolved around stretching and meditation.

"I'll see you later," Kakashi said, giving Iruka a kiss at the sink, while Naruto was standing on his footstool shouting _I, JACK, the pumpkin king_, with a pot over his head.

"Naruto, _eso estaba limpio_. That was clean." Iruka said, wiping his hands on a dish towel before leaving the kitchen to catch Kakashi at the top of the stairs.

"_'Perate_," (Wait,) he said, grabbing onto the back of his shirt before he could descend.

Kakashi turned around, and Iruka wrapped his arms around his waist.

"_Buena suerte, mi cielo. Ten cuidado," _he said, leaning in to kiss Kakashi.

(Good luck, my sky [term of endearment. Be careful)

"I will."

"Don't let anyone touch you. Or they'll answer to me."

"Is that so?" Kakashi smiled, looking as his husband lovingly.

"Mhmm."

"I better win then," he said, releasing himself from Iruka's hold.

"You better," he said, giving him a final kiss, before he watched him jog down the stairs.

"_I love you!"_ he called, as Kakashi slipped out the door.

Iruka arrived with Naruto, to find Rin and Konan already seated, their blue and purple hair sticking out easily in the crowd, reminding Iruka of swaths of cotton candy. He had called and asked her to reserve seats for them all, since she lived closest to the arena.

"_Hola_," he said in greeting, leaning in to kiss them each on the cheek. Iruka greeted everyone this way. A holdover from his Puerto Rican family that never seemed to leave, no matter how uncomfortable some people in the states were with it.

"Hey buddy!" Rin said, crouching down to Naruto's height. "I made something for you."

She unfurled a small black jersey with HATAKE printed on the back in bold white letters, an exact replica of the one she was wearing. If it wasn't obvious, she was Kakashi's biggest fan, two thick purple lines of what looked like war paint, streaked down her cheeks for the occasion.

"That's your Dad and mine's last name," she said. "Now we can cheer him on together!"

"Cool!" Naruto said. "Can you help me?" he asked, turning to Iruka.

"_Claro. Ven acá_," Iruka said, as Naruto came over to him.

Iruka slipped the jersey over his head, and pulled his arms through it. He had contemplated whether or not it was okay to bring Naruto to Kakashi's match at his young age. Mikoto wouldn't allow it, which is what made him question it in the first place, and the only reason why Sasuke wasn't here with them.

He thought about telling Naruto that it wasn't a real fight, but technically, it was. Or that it wasn't dangerous, but… it _could_ be. That Kakashi wasn't going to get hurt, but he _might_. So, he settled on not explaining anything. If Naruto had any questions, he'd ask, and Iruka would do his best to answer them.

Itachi and Kisame showed up a few minutes later. Kisame was trying hard to balance a hot dog and tray of nachos as they made their way to their seats, while Itachi was clutching on to his travel thermos that was probably filled with herbal tea. He looked comically out of place, in his turtleneck and long braid, like he was going to the opera, instead of a boxing match.

"I like your spirit!" Kisame said, upon seeing Rin. "I wanted to buy one of those foam fingers but Itachi refused to walk beside me if I did."

Konan reached down below her seat.

"You can use ours," she said, handing it to him.

Rin had bought it for her but she really had no intention of using it.

"Alright!"

20 minutes later, the lights began to dim, save for the ones illuminating the ring.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" A voice rang out over the speakers. "We've got an interesting match lined up tonight that is sure to have you on the edge of your seat. Without further ado, let's bring out the challenger first: a newcomer, who has blazed his way to the top, in a matter of mere months. Break out your tricolor flags, because this Italian is here to make some ruckus, _Gai Might!"_

Gai entered the ring to some rather loud applause, having accumulated his own fans already.

"And now, this next man needs no introduction, our very own Chicago legend, reigning champion for three years running, you all know him, you all love him, _Kakashi Hatake!"_

The crowd stood up as Kakashi entered the arena, breaking into _deafening_ cheers.

"I can't see!" Naruto cried.

Rin picked him up and balanced him on her hip, pointing at Kakashi.

"That's Kashi!" Naruto said in amazement, recognizing him.

Kakashi came together with Gai in the middle of the ring. Gai flashed him an enormous grin, and Kakashi couldn't help but laugh to himself.

_Let's see what this guy's got, _Kakashi thought, as he raised his fists in front of his face, excitement beginning to build in his gut.

The match started and Gai came at him right away, with almost inhuman speed, barely giving Kakashi enough time to dodge.

_Oh?_ Kakashi thought, his eyes moving rapidly over Gai's body, calculating.

He knew from that first move, that this match was going to be different than his others.

_Hm_, he grinned. _This is going to be fun._

"I've never seen him have this hard of a time before," Iruka said nervously, looking down at his husband. He had just finished trying to convince Naruto that Kakashi was okay, after taking a rather hard hit to the face.

Kakashi and Gai were circling each other, chests heaving, sweat glistening over their bodies, both looking exhausted.

Gai came at Kakashi with a burst of energy, reigning one move after the other down on him, backing him into a corner, before trapping him in a move that dragged him down _hard_ onto the floor, ending with his neck locked between Gai's thighs.

Iruka gasped in surprise.

"That doesn't look good," he said to Rin, grabbing onto her hand.

"COME ON HATAKE!" she shouted, jumping up from her seat.

_Fuck_, Kakashi thought, in pure disbelief.

He had _definitely_ underestimated Gai, and now he was stuck in a position that almost always ended in defeat. No matter which way he maneuvered his body, he couldn't seem to get any traction.

_If I could just get my shoulder beneath me,_ he thought, struggling against Gai's grip. He knew he had to do it quick, or he'd have to tap out. His neck was really starting to ache.

He attempted to move again, using his torso and legs to try and get some leverage.

His shoulder shifted a miniscule amount. Just a little bit more…

_Yes!_

That's all he needed.

He was out.

The crowd went _wild_.

In a flash of movements, he had reversed their positions, pinning Gai against him. Gai's back was against Kakashi's chest, and Kakashi was using his whole body to trap him there, wrapping his arms and legs around him, rendering him completely incapacitated.

_He got him_, Iruka thought, some of the tension leaving his body.

"It's over!" Rin said, excitedly.

"That was badass!" Kisame cried.

"Let's see you get out of THAT, Gai!" Rin hollered, rather aggressively.

Konan looked at her with comical surprise.

They all watched, on the edge of their seat, even Itachi seemed to be holding his breath, each second ticking by incredibly slow and then…

Gai tapped out.

"YEEEAAAA KAKASHI!" Rin cheered, as she got up from her seat, along with everyone else.

As the referee held his arm up in victory, he looked over at his family among the cheering crowd, only to find a scene he wasn't expecting. They were all standing but _still_, facing someone whose back was to Kakashi.

It looked like Itachi was pissed?

Rin had recoiled into Konan, as if to hide.

Something wasn't right.

He eyes shot to his husband. Observed him. His posture was tense. He was holding Naruto against his leg, protectively.

Okay.

Who _was_ that?

And then the stranger turned to glance at Kakashi, revealing his face.

A face Kakashi hoped he would never see again, let alone mere inches from everyone in his life that he loved.

His stomach turned over, followed by an intense spike in adrenaline.

He wretched his hand out of the referee's grip, slid under the rope, and threw off his gloves. If he needed to throw a punch, he wanted it to fucking _hurt_.

He made it to where they had been seated in a few seconds flat, despite everyone trying to give him a slap on the back in congratulations.

"Kakashi," the stranger said, an amused look on his face.

He shamelessly ran his eyes all over Kakashi's sweaty muscled chest.

"How is it that you only get sexier as you get older?"

Kakashi heaved in a deep breath through his nose before removing his mouth guard.

"Iruka. Get Naruto out of here. All of you, _go_."

Nobody questioned him, except for one tiny, little voice.

"_Kashi_…" Naruto started, confused, but Iruka shushed him, picking him up and carrying him out.

When they were at a safe distance, Kakashi flashed his eyes up at the stranger.

"How the _fuck_ did you find me, Obito?"

Even though he was Itachi's cousin, Itachi wouldn't dare.

"It's amazing what typing someone's name into Google can do now a days," he replied. "Your name was all over _The_ _Chicago Tribune_. _Local_ _MMA Champion Kakashi Hatake takes to the ring this Saturday to defend his title_," he said, changing his voice to resemble that of a reporter.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to see you. See how you're doing."

_Bullshit_, Kakashi thought.

"Seems like you got yourself a nice wife. And a kid? You, a _father_?" he threw his head back in a laugh, as if it was the biggest joke in the world.

"And here I was thinking you only left me to satiate a fetish. Fuck around with a Puerto Rican. I heard they're… feisty."

"Fuck you, Obito. I swear to…" Kakashi trailed off, feeling like white hot lightening was building up in his arms. He didn't want to give in to his anger, even if this asshole was disrespecting his husband.

"See, that's really what I want from you. I haven't found anyone else whose as much fun, and damn have I tried. You could really fuck, I'll give you that. We were good together."

Kakashi laughed, almost manically.

He wanted to puke.

Obito was the worst thing that had ever happened to him.

"You're fucking delusional, Obito. And a toxic, manipulative, piece of shit_. _I'm no longer a depressed, impressionable, 20 something year old that you can leech onto and suck the life out of."

"I thought you'd come back to me. Like all the other times we broke up. I waited, for a long time, actually."

"Yeah, well, _surprise_. I grew a fucking spine." Kakashi spat out, before saying, "Seven years later and you're here to what? Try and get back together with me? Are you fucking serious?"

"What can I say? I'm still in love with you. I can't quit you, Kakashi. I tried. Cold turkey didn't seem to work. It never has for me."

_Yeah, no shit,_ Kakashi thought, remembering all too well Obito's other addictions.

But…In love with him? _Please. _He didn't know _what_ they had back then, but it definitely wasn't love.

"You're not in love with me, Obito. You're in love with the control you had over me. You always were."

"Well… that, and your body. You're so fucking hot Kakashi, you have no idea. Seeing you like this…" he said, referring to Kakashi's bare chest and tight boxing shorts, sucking in a breath so it hissed through his teeth. "I mean, our sex was explosive."

"Because I fucking _hated_ you," Kakashi said, fuming.

"You don't miss it?"

"Not for a second," Kakashi instantly replied.

"_Hm_," Obito laughed, "I never would have thought Iruka could satisfy you. Or _handle_ you, for that matter. He looks like too much of a fuckin' fag. Or maybe you like being held, now, huh? Is that it? You've gone soft?"

"That's the second time you've disrespected Iruka in front of me. Do it again and I'll knock your fucking teeth out."

Was Obito really expecting Kakashi to talk about his sex life with him? To talk about _anything_ with him?

He didn't owe Obito a fucking thing.

He wasn't going to waste any more of his time.

If he had to spend one more minute looking at Obito's face, he was definitelygoing to punch it, provoked or not.

"If you ever come near me or my family again, you'll wish you hadn't," he warned, before turning his back on him.

"You know it only turns me on when you threaten me, just like old times," he said, trying to get a rise out of him, but when Kakashi continued to walk away, he added, "By the way, your sister's looking pretty fit…" he said, knowing full well that could be the final straw.

Kakashi stopped in his tracks, rage threatening to blind him. He took a few breaths to steady himself. To clear his vision. Obito was baiting him. He _wanted_ Kakashi to lose it. He got off on it. He always had.

_Fuck that sick bastard_.

He continued down the steps, picked up his discarded gloves, and left the arena without looking back.

When he got home, Kakashi hopped into the shower without saying much to anyone, the hot water bringing relief to his tired muscles. Gai had really given him a run for his money tonight. That was the hardest he'd had to fight in a long time.

A different type of exhaustion washed over. He inevitably thought about Obito again, a wave of nausea overtaking him. He steadied himself on the tile, placing both palms on the wall, letting his head fall towards his chest, as the water rained down on him.

He felt negativity and panic starting to spiral inside him. Why was Obito showing up now? Why? _Why_, dammit! When his life was so… perfect. Stable. Happy.

Was Obito here to stay? Did he know where he lived? His mind started racing at the thought, already wondering how he could file a restraining order against him. Obito had harassed Iruka in the past, Rin too, but that was six years ago, before Obito had left the country. Could that still be used as evidence?

And Naruto. What if he came after Naruto? Kakashi wouldn't put it past him.

He lifted his head, letting the water pummel his face. He ran his hands through his hair, before turning off the water and stepping out.

Once he was dried and dressed, he entered his bedroom to find Iruka sitting up, waiting for him, the blankets pooled around his waist.

"Itachi called while you were in the shower," he said, holding out his phone to him.

Kakashi took it, and called him back, sitting down onto the bed in the process.

"Kakashi," came Itachi's voice.

"Hm?"

"I did some investigating. Obito's only in town a few days. He goes back to Amsterdam on Monday."

Kakashi felt a sense of relief wash over him.

"Thanks," he said, before hanging up.

He powered off his phone and placed it on the nightstand, before curling up in bed.

Iruka remained sitting up, looking down at his husband's back in worry.

"Kakashi…" he started, unsure. He knew the extent of the damage Obito had inflicted upon him. It couldn't have been easy to be confronted with that again, especially so unexpectedly.

Kakashi turned to look at him, before pushing Iruka down against the bed. He lifted Iruka's arm up, curling into him, nestling into his chest.

Iruka adjusted himself, wrapping his arms around Kakashi. He ran his fingers through his hair, planting a soft kiss to his forehead.

_Yes_. Kakashi_ did_ like to be held now, but only by one, very specific man.

Tears spilled out of him, old wounds threatening to open up and consume him.

_Goddammit, Obito._

"Are you alright?" Iruka whispered, his voice cracking, as he struggled not to cry at the sight of his husband's pain.

Kakashi took in a deep breath, reminding himself that those wounds had been tended to, had healed and scarred over, leaving nothing but clean, fresh skin in it's wake. Skin that Obito had never touched. All with the help of this incredible, beautiful man, whose heart was beating beneath his ear.

Kakashi tilted his head up and kissed Iruka, hard. Pressing his hand into the back of his skull.

Yes. He was alright. He would _always_ be alright, as long as Iruka was beside him.

A presence appeared suddenly in the doorway. It was Naruto, with his blanket Iruka gave him clutched near his face, some of it dragging on the floor.

Kakashi tried to wipe away any evidence of his crying, but it didn't fool him.

Naruto came over to the bed and lingered there, not sure what do, a little scared, a little confused, never having seen Kakashi cry before.

"Kashi," he said softly, "What's wrong?"

"Kakashi saw someone who caused him a lot of pain in the past, Naruto," Iruka said gently, knowing Kakashi wouldn't be able to answer.

"The man at the end?"

"Yes."

Naruto contemplated that, rubbing the corner of the blanket on his face, never taking his eyes off Kakashi.

"Naruto…" Iruka started. "Would you…do you want to lay with us?" he asked, nervously. This would be crossing an intimacy boundary they hadn't quite managed to get to yet—cuddling.

Naruto shifted on his feet. He placed a hand on their bed, as if testing the water, before nodding his head.

"Come here," Iruka said, moving a few inches away from Kakashi, creating a little nook between the two of them.

Naruto crawled in. It was a tense few moments, until everyone relaxed into how good it felt.

"We're not going to let anything happen to Kashi, right Naruto?" Iruka said, raking his fingers through his blonde hair.

Naruto shook his head vigorously.

"He can't hurt you," Naruto said, looking at Kakashi. "You're so strong. I saw you. You won! I'll get strong, too."

Kakashi laughed, sniffling as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

"You will?"

"Yeah! Believe it!"

For some reason, this made Kakashi cry even more. In a gesture that surprised even himself, he pulled Naruto into his chest, hugging him tight.

"I'm being smushed!" came Nartuo's muffled laugh.

Sleep overtook them all not long after. One of Naruto's legs was hooked over Iruka, while his head was buried somewhere near Kakashi's armpit. Kakashi looked at his family one more time, through sleep-laden eyes, feeling like the luckiest man alive. His hand crawled beneath the covers, searching blindly, until he found the thing that he wanted.

He slid his hand into the safety of his husband's warm palm, all of his worries fading away, Iruka's fingers interlacing with his own in response, the last thing he felt before drifting peacefully off to sleep.

TBC

**End notes: **

Wooof. So much going on in this chapter!

Ay, Obito. Ugh.

Does this have you wanting to read the prequel yet?!

I made the boxing match a little more theatrical than realistic, but I like it that way!

NARUTO IS THE SWEETEST.

I _think_ there are only four chapters left. T-T

Idk how to make "notes" on here, so.. eh. I just added them to the document!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes: **

_This chapter took me so long! And __**is**__ soooo long. A whopping 34 pages. O.O _

_But it has a very special place in my heart.  
_

_Please enjoy!_

**10.**

Iruka glanced at the clock.

5:37 AM.

He had had a horrible night's sleep, tossing and turning every few hours, punctuated by visions of Obito's face. It was older now, but still recognizable, retaining the same features that had haunted him in the past.

He lay there for a moment, listening to Naruto's heavy breathing. He couldn't make out much more than his silhouette, the room still flooded in darkness, but it made him smile anyway.

He got up quietly and tip-toed out of the room, padding his way to the kitchen, flipping on the dim light above the stove.

He stretched his arms over his head before grabbing the coffee out of the cabinet. He bypassed the coffeemaker and went straight to the stove, pulling out a small saucepan. He still made coffee the way his mom taught him when he was a boy. He used to make it for her every morning, before she headed off to work at the crack of dawn.

He filled the pot with a cup of water, and waited until just before it boiled to scoop in the grounds. He turned off the heat, letting it steep, reveling in the rich smell that washed over his senses, transporting him to another time, another place, another country. It never failed to remind him of his _abuela's_ kitchen in Puerto Rico.

Iruka came from a long line of coffee farmers. His ancestors were _jibaros, la gente de la montaña (people of the mountains)_, who worked the land. Growing up, he spent many winter breaks with his _abuela_ and extended family, helping them pick coffee during harvest season. It wasn't easy work, by any means, and it didn't pay well, but he had enjoyed it immensely.

What he loved more, was helping process and roast the coffee. He spent many hours over the _fogón_, stirring the beans with a bamboo stick, until they transformed into a rich chocolate color. At the end of the day, his hair would smell like wood smoke, and sometimes he refused to shower, wanting to keep the scent close.

When the coffee finally made it to his cup, it felt like magic. It was so satisfying to know he had been involved every step of the way. It gave him a new appreciation for the drink, one that many people couldn't understand.

He stared back down at his own pot, in his own kitchen, giving it a stir. He strained out the thick black sludge through a coffee sock, and took a seat at the table. He had tried to transition to the coffeemaker, but he didn't like it; it was solely there for Kakashi's use now. He found that he missed the motions of the old way, the ritualistic feel of it. And no matter _what_ Kakashi said, he could taste the difference.

He pulled his knees up into his chest, resting the soles of his feet on the edge of the chair. He watched the steam curl up from his cup on the table, one hand wrapped around it, taking comfort in the warmth.

_Obito._

He had hoped to never say that name again. That cursed name. There were times where he had refused to acknowledge it even existed, along with the person it belonged too. It was easier that way. But, it did exist. _He_ did exist. And it seemed like he wasn't done butting into their lives yet.

He sighed, and took a sip of his coffee, welcoming the bitter acid against his tongue. He wondered what they had talked about. What Kakashi had said to him. He didn't have to wonder what Obito had wanted, he knew what he wanted—_Kakashi._ He always had.

Obito had made that perfectly clear, in several highly aggressive and threatening facebook messages, when he and Kakashi had first started dating. He had to delete his account, along with his tumblr, for over a year. No matter how many times he changed his username, or adjusted his privacy settings, Obito always seemed to find a way to reach him.

He had even sent several letters to his office in Canada, where he did his internship after graduation. It had kept him on edge, feeling like he'd turn the corner one day and Obito would be there to greet him. It had been a terrible and stressful way to live.

But it wasn't only that he loathed Obito for. It was all the utter fucking bullshit he had fed to Kakashi, who at the time, was so starved for nourishment, he ate it right up. Swallowed it whole without question. Accepting everything Obito had told him about himself, as fact. That he was impossible to love. That no one else would "tolerate" him. Obito had exploited his weaknesses and vulnerabilities, using Kakashi's depression to keep him locked away, make him believe he didn't deserve anything (or _anyone_) better.

Iruka had had to work _really_ hard to convince Kakashi otherwise.

He placed his feet back on the ground, taking another long sip of coffee. He refused to let fear overtake him again, to give Obito any semblance of power. He trusted Kakashi to handle the situation, if anything else arose, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to stress until tomorrow came; until Obito was back on a plane to Amsterdam, or wherever the fuck he came from this time.

Wanting to do something with his hands, he grabbed the browning bananas from the top of the fridge, along with a bag of walnuts and a bar of dark chocolate from the pantry, before pulling out several mixing bowls.

Kakashi awoke to the smell of banana bread wafting into the bedroom, confused at the weight on his chest. If Iruka was in the kitchen, who was…

Oh.

He opened his eyes and peeked under the covers, finding a small leg draped across his chest. Naruto was sleeping perpendicular on the bed, buried beneath the blanket.

He had forgotten Naruto was here.

He blinked his eyes against the sunlight, reflecting bright off the snow through the window, before creating a hole around Naruto's head with the blanket. He didn't know how he could _breathe_, beneath that heavy comforter.

He slipped out of bed and into the hall, finding Iruka on the couch, curled beneath a blanket, writing in a journal. Radiohead's _In Rainbows_ was playing softly in the background.

"Merry Christmas," Kakashi said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, before crouching down in front of him.

"_Feliz Navidad_," Iruka smiled.

It was Christmas Eve after all, he had almost forgotten. Distracted by other things.

"Have you been up long?" he asked, resting his hands on Iruka's thighs.

"Hm, three hours or so," Iruka said, gathering his hand in his hair to pull it over one shoulder.

"Couldn't sleep?" Kakashi asked, rising to his feet, his ankles giving a loud pop in the process.

"Not really," Iruka replied, as Kakashi disappeared into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.

He reappeared to lean in the doorway, crossing his arms over his faded t-shirt.

"Any particular reason?" Kakashi asked, even though he had a pretty good idea.

Iruka looked up at him, biting on his pen.

Somehow that told him everything.

"I'm sorry, Iruka." Kakashi said, his face contorting into a frown. "I never thought he'd show up like that."

"You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault."

Kakashi poured himself a cup of coffee before joining his husband on the couch.

"Yeah, well, he wouldn't be in your life if it weren't for me."

"If he wasn't in my life, you wouldn't be either, so let's throw _that_ logic out the window, please," Iruka said, closing his journal in his lap.

"What were you working on? You haven't written anything in a long time," Kakashi said, eyeing the notebook.

"A hex. For Obito." he said, stretching his legs out on the couch, the bottoms of his feet resting against Kakashi's thigh.

Kakashi laughed, placing his mug on the coffee table, before bringing his hands to rub Iruka's feet.

"I don't get it," Kakashi began. "After so many years. It doesn't make any sense."

"He's obsessed with you. He's always been."

"I thought he would have gotten over it by now. Maybe he's just bored."

"I highly doubt he came all this way because he was bored. He didn't say why he was in town?"

"Not really. Not the real reason anyway. But…he did tell me he was still in love with me and that he'd been waiting for me to come back to him."

"Not really? _Kakashi_," Iruka said, digging his foot into his thigh. "What makes you think that's not the real reason?"

"Because that's a load of shit. What we had wasn't love, Iruka. Not even close. And he still has family here. It is the holidays."

"Family he's estranged from," Iruka pointed out, "But _maybe_ that's what he thinks love is suppose to be, if he hasn't known anything else. Who knows what his other experiences have been like."

_You were once fooled, too_, Iruka thought but didn't say.

"I guess you could be right. I didn't know what love was, or that it even existed, until I met you," Kakashi said coolly, grabbing his mug of coffee and taking a sip, as if saying something like that _wasn't_ romantic.

Iruka eyed his husband thoughtfully.

"I was writing a new poem," he said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Will you share it with me when it's done?"

"Of course."

Kakashi smiled at him, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Should we check and see if Naruto's present is still alive?" Kakashi joked.

"I already did, while you two were still asleep. It's fine."

The two of them had had quite the discussion about how they were going to handle Christmas as a family. Iruka's family wasn't huge on it, at least not the American rendition. As a culture, they celebrated Three King's Day with more vigor, but considering it wasn't recognized as a holiday in the US, they didn't get time off from work, so they had syncretized, adopting Christmas Eve/Day as their time of celebration instead.

As for Kakashi, he did grow up with the holiday, but had stopped celebrating, well, _anything_, after his father had died. It wasn't until he was incorporated into Iruka's family, that he came back into contact with holidays again.

They decided to bypass the Santa myth, and limited it to one present per person, something they had adopted previously, refusing to indulge in the capitalistic pressure surrounding this time of year. Though, Iruka _did_ put up a small, three-foot tall tree, a couple of weeks ago, along with a string of white lights on the banister behind the couch, because he was a sucker for the aesthetic. He also fully intended to bake a batch of cookies with Naruto at some point, in cute decorated cut-outs.

"I still can't believe he slept with us," Iruka said, with an undertone of excitement.

"It was pretty adorable. But I hope it doesn't become a habit," Kakashi said. "He slapped me in the face at one point. And I think I heard him snore. Or maybe that was Pakkun, I don't know. _Somebody_ snored."

Iruka cracked up.

"I don't want it to be a habit either, I'm just happy he came to us for comfort."

"Me too."

Iruka slid over on the couch, enveloping Kakashi in a tender kiss.

"Is it weird that coffee breath turns me on?" Iruka asked, close to Kakashi's face.

Kakashi pulled the brown beanie Iruka was wearing down to his chin.

"Yes," he laughed.

Iruka removed his hat, and climbed into Kakashi's lap, shocking him with electricity when they touched. He plunged his tongue into Kakashi's mouth, tasting soft hints of vanilla, and caramel, and coffee.

"_Mmm_," he said against his lips, "_Que rico_."

Iruka's hand crawled beneath Kakashi's shirt, tugging at one of his nipples, as he sucked on his bottom lip.

Kakashi's mouth left his to explore the warm skin of his neck, coming up to nip on his earlobe.

"_Ugh_, do I want you," he groaned into Iruka's ear, digging his fingers into his lower back in frustration. "Throw my present away, just give me you."

Iruka pressed his forehead against Kakashi's in silent agreement, before planting a kiss there. He lifted his eyes to see that Naruto was walking into the room.

He made to scramble out of Kakashi's lap, but Kakashi held him there, with a tight grip on his thigh.

"_Chill_. Don't act like he caught us doing something terrible," Kakashi said softly. "I want to normalize affection, especially between two men."

Every time Naruto came into the room, Iruka jumped ten feet from Kakashi, even if they weren't doing anything besides touching hands. He didn't know why, really, it was just reflex.

Iruka forced himself to relax, turning around, so he was sitting in Kakashi's lap instead. Kakashi wrapped his arms around his waist, placing a kiss to his shoulder.

"_Buenos dias_, Naruto," Iruka smiled, "_Feliz Navidad!"_

"Morning. Happy Christmas," he said, sleepily. "Something smells good…"

"Are you hungry?"

Naruto nodded his head, while rubbing at his eyes.

"Okay, let's eat!"

Several slices of banana bread later, Naruto was sprawled out happily on the couch, his blanket serpentined around his body.

"We have a present for you, Naruto. Do you want to open it today or tomorrow?" Iruka asked.

Naruto shot up and stood on the couch.

"Today, today, today!" he said, bouncing on the cushions.

"_Tranquila, nene_, _(calm down child)"_ Iruka laughed.

"First you have to answer my pop quiz," Iruka said, turning playfully serious. "How do you say today in Spanish?"

Naruto flopped onto his butt, disappointed.

"I don't know," he said, his lip curling down in a pout.

"You do. I'll ask you again, in Spanish this time. _Quieres abrir tu regalo hoy… o ma__ñ__ana_?" he enunciated slowly. (Do you want to open your gift today…or tomorrow?)

Naruto's eyes lit up, recognizing the word.

"_Hoy, hoy, hoy_!" he said, running around the coffee table.

"_Perfecto, Naruto! Dame cinco_," Iruka said, holding up his hand.

Naruto slapped it with his.

"_Con más gana_, _muchachito!"_ Iruka said, holding his hand up again.

(With more enthusiasm!)

Naruto came at him this time with a running start. Iruka wrapped his hand around his when he hit it, preventing him from falling face first onto the hardwood floor.

"_Eso!"_ Iruka praised him. "Kakashi, can you fetch his gift from our room?"

Kakashi obeyed, returning with several boxes in tow, two of which Iruka knew they didn't wrap together.

"I thought we agreed on only one gift," Iruka said.

"The second one is for both of us."

Iruka looked at him suspiciously. Usually, that meant a sex toy, but Kakashi had enough sense _not_ to gift him one of those in front of Naruto, right? ….Right?

They all sat on the rug together, as Iruka grabbed Kakashi's gift from beneath the tree.

"Who wants to go first?"

"ME! Me, me, meee!" sang Naruto's voice.

"Okay, but you have to start with this one."

"It's so big!" Naruto said, coming up to his knees, as he began to rip the paper off.

It revealed a glass aquarium, with all of the needed materials inside.

"Is it a play place for…for my dinosaurs?!" he asked, excitedly.

"Not quite. Open this one," Iruka said, handing him a much smaller box made out of cardboard, with several holes in it. "But _slowly_. And carefully."

Naruto undid the folds with surprising tenderness. Inside, there was an orange and brown creature lying in wait, looking up at him.

"IT'S A LIZARD!"

"It's a crested gecko," Iruka smiled.

They knew Naruto had an interest in frogs, and as a biologist, Iruka couldn't help but encourage him. Frogs, however, weren't the best of pets when it came to handling, so Iruka thought the calm and gentle demeanor of a crested gecko, might be better.

"Can I touch it?! Can I? Can I?!"

"Yes. But you need to be gentle. Let me show you."

Iruka scooped it up and held his palm flat.

"Hold out your hand like mine."

Naruto did as he was told.

"Ready? Don't pull back in fear or he'll jump away."

"Ok."

Iruka tilted the creature into Naruto's hand, who accepted it without a flinch.

"It's… soft," he said, his eyes wide.

"It's a baby right now. But it'll grow to about 8 inches."

"And I get to take care of it?!"

"Yes. He's yours."

"Awesome!" Naruto said, kicking his legs beneath him. "Kashi, look!"

Naruto held out his palm.

"I see him," Kakashi smiled.

Naruto made like he was going to kiss it, but then at second thought, pulled back.

"Why don't you put it back in the box until we can set up it's home?" Kakashi suggested.

"Ok. Good idea." Naruto said, lowering it gingerly into the cardboard, and closing the lid.

"Ru. You open!" Naruto said, turning to Iruka in rapt attention.

"U-uh, alright," Iruka said, surprised at his intensity.

The first gift was a new watch, a fancy waterproof sport one. Iruka had broken his old one on their trip to Puerto Rico. He had been complaining about it ever since. This one, however, had a lot more fun gadgets that appealed to his active, outdoor personality.

"Thank you," he said, genuinely pleased, leaning in to give Kakashi a peck.

"Open the second one too."

Iruka did. It was a box full of rope, carabiners, a harness, chalk, a helmet, and a pair of climbing shoes.

There was a short, handwritten note.

_I know you miss spending time alone together. I do, too. I've already arranged with Rin to babysit every Sunday for a few hours. I bought matching equipment for myself. Merry Christmas, Iruka. I love you. __A LOT__._

_P.S. the thing about climbing, is that you need to trust your partner with your life. Literally. I trust you with my life, Iruka, as I hope you trust me with yours. I'll never let you fall. _

_(also, I'm looking forward to helping you into that harness)_

Iruka was caught between a sob and a laugh. It wouldn't be Kakashi if he didn't find a way to slip an innuendo in there. He looked up to meet his husband's eyes.

"You had taken interest in it at the gym, so I thought it'd be fun to explore a new thing together," Kakashi said.

It's true, Iruka had, but he only mentioned it once, _months_ ago, and it was in passing, when they had walked by the scaling wall on their way out of the gym.

Iruka was touched he remembered. Kakashi could be a romantic, when he wanted to. Iruka loved this idea. It almost felt like a promise. A promise that no matter what, they'd find time to spend together. It was really thoughtful.

"I love it." Iruka said, before tossing Kakashi his present. "Your turn."

Kakashi tore off the newspaper from his box, Iruka's version of wrapping paper, and opened it to find several things inside. The first was a set of three fancy new pairs of plugs for his ears, which were stretched to the size of a dime—rose quartz, black agate, and amethyst. The second, was a limited edition, rare print, of a flash sheet from his favorite Japanese tattoo artist, the same one who had tattooed most of his body. And the third, was three tickets to next year's Comic Con.

_Three?_ He thought for a second.

"I think Gecko's hungry," Naruto said, trying to peer through the little holes of the box.

_Of course. Naruto. Everything would be in three's now. _

"And you harped on me for more than one gift?" Kakashi teased.

"They all fit inside one box. It counts as one," Iruka smiled.

"I think Gecko's hungry," Naruto repeated, since no one acknowledged him the first time.

"You think so? Why don't you set up his home with Kashi, while I make some cookie dough."

"Yeah!" Naruto said, not knowing which thing to be most excited about; cookies were rare in this house.

"What are you going to name him?" Kakashi asked, gathering all the discarded newspaper in his hand.

"Zuko!" Naruto replied, without hesitation.

"Zuko? Why Zuko?" Kakashi laughed. He had introduced Naruto to _Avatar_, and they had been watching the cartoon as a family ever since.

"Because Zuko is the Fire Prince and he likes dragons and and and… my gecko kinda looks like a dragon. Ru! Can he breathe fire?! Are they related to dragons?!"

Iruka didn't have the heart to tell him that dragons weren't real, not… really. Not in the way Naruto was imagining.

"No, he can't breathe fire. That'd be too dangerous," Iruka said.

Naruto seemed satisfied with his vague answer, running into his room with excitement yet no real intention, so he ran back out again.

"Where should we put his home?" Naruto asked, trying to lift the aquarium off the floor by himself, but he couldn't, so he started to drag it across the rug.

"Let me help you," Kakashi laughed, handing off the newspaper to Iruka to recycle, before picking it up.

Kakashi walked into his room, aquarium in tow, placing it on the bed.

"Well, I think our two options are your desk, or that lower shelf on your bookcase."

Naruto inspected both sites, smoothing his hand over the surfaces, giving them a tap, putting his face close to them.

Kakashi couldn't help but laugh. If Naruto had a magnifying glass, Kakashi was sure he would have used it.

"What's your deduction, detective?" Kakashi teased.

"The shelf. It's too cold by the window."

Kakashi was surprised by his resolute answer; he hadn't even thought of that.

"Ok," he said, sitting down onto the bed, beginning to pull the plants and other materials out of the aquarium, unpacking them. "Let's get started."

After the three of them decorated two-dozen cookies to bring to his mom's later in the day, Iruka was reclined in bed, reading the manual to his new watch. Kakashi was at his side, engrossed in his own book, when they heard a crash of what sounded like glass, coming from the kitchen.

They looked at each other.

"I'll go," Iruka said, getting up.

He walked into the kitchen to find a broken water glass on the ground, along with a large puddle.

"Naruto?"

He wasn't in the kitchen, so Iruka went to his bedroom, but didn't find him there either.

…What?

He went back into the kitchen to survey the scene again. Pakkun had entered in his absence, sniffing at a small crack in the pantry door.

Iruka tip-toed around the glass, opening the door. He found Naruto huddled in the corner, his face hidden in his knees.

"Naruto," Iruka said, surprised. "What are you doing in here?"

Naruto started to cry.

"Are you okay?" Iruka crouched down in worry, "Are you hurt?"

"I…I didn't… I didn't mean…" Naruto sputtered. "Don't send me back… please..." he hiccupped.

What? What was he talking about? Send him back where…?

Oh. _Oh._

Iruka fell to his knees and scooped Naruto into his arms, his heart breaking into a million pieces. He clutched him to his chest.

"Shh, Naruto. It was an accident. It's okay," he said, stroking his hair. "You're safe here. This is your home. You're not going anywhere, _ever_. _Somos tu familia, mijo (we are your family, my son)." _Iruka said, his eyes filling with tears.

He pressed his lips to the top of Naruto's head before saying,

"_Te amo, Naruto." _

It just spilled out of him. He couldn't contain it anymore. He'd been feeling it for a long time but had been shy about saying the words. It was out now, and there was no going back.

"I love you, Naruto," he repeated, wanting to make sure Naruto understood him. "Things might happen, or we might get mad at each other sometimes, but we will work it out. Together."

He smoothed Naruto's hair back.

"Does that sound good to you?"

Naruto nodded his head, wiping his eyes.

"Good. Now you stay right here, until I clean up the glass."

Iruka had promised his mother they'd be there by noon, to help her prepare dinner. But now with the addition of Naruto, it was like having _two_ children, with Kakashi's penchant for never getting anywhere on time.

"_Vamonos! (Let's go!)"_ Iruka called to his family, glancing at his new watch that read 11:45. It took at least 45 minutes to get to his parent's house.

He left his resting place on the arm of the couch, before peering into Naruto's room.

"Naruto, you can't bring Zuko with us," he said, catching Naruto with his hand halfway into the cage.

"But he's going to be lonely," Naruto pouted.

"He'll be fine. Pakkun's here," Iruka said, putting his hand on his shoulder to comfort him, before ushering him towards the door.

"Be his friend, Pakkun," Naruto said, climbing onto the couch to embrace the dog.

"_Tus zapatos (your shoes)._ Put them on," Iruka said.

_Okay, one down._

Iruka rounded into the bathroom to find Kakashi's fussing with his hair in the mirror.

"Let's _go_, babe," Iruka said, a little exasperated. He stole the small tub of wax out of Kakashi's hand and capped it. Why Kakashi couldn't have done this 30 minutes ago, was beyond him. "You look great. Come on."

"_Hola mami, Feliz Navidad_," Iruka said, when he came into her kitchen. "Sorry we're late."

He placed the kale and roasted pumpkin salad he had brought in the fridge, knowing vegetables would be sparse on the table tonight.

"_Ay, mijo. Somos puertorriqueños, estamos tarde pa' todo. Tú eres temprano_, _(We're Puerto rican, we're late for everything. You're early.)"_ she joked, planting a kiss on his cheek.

" '_buela!"_ Naruto shouted, running into the kitchen after Kakashi had removed his jacket.

"_Mi nieto!"_ she cried, scooping him up, kissing him all over his face. _"Feliz Navidad, precioso." _

"_Y papi?"_ Iruka asked.

"_No sé_. I sent him out for the _lechón_ and he hasn't come back yet," she said, putting Naruto down. They always bought the pork from a local puerto rican restaurant, since the process involved a whole pig being roasted on a spit, over an open wood fire, for _hours_.

Iruka surveyed the kitchen. The counters were covered with a familiar sight: all the necessary components to assemble _pasteles_. The _masa_ was already made, heaped up in a glass bowl, a smooth wet dough that consisted of raw _yuca_, green bananas, and _yautia_. In another bowl sat the filling—shredded and spiced chicken mixed with green olives and onions. And lastly, there was a pile of banana leaves, cut into perfect squares, beside a small bowl of bright orange _achiote_ oil.

"_Mami_, do you have something Naruto could stand on? I want him to help us."

"Hmm..._pues, se puede sentar en la silla atras?"_ _(well, can he sit in the chair back there?)_

She was referring to the tall chairs that butted up against the counter on the other side.

"Oh, _Si_. Can I move some things around to make a station for us?"

"_Claro." _

Iruka moved the bowl of _achiote_ oil, a pastry brush, and the banana leaves in front of two of the chairs, before calling Naruto over to him. He lifted him up, placing him in the tall chair.

"Ok, Naruto. You're going to help me. I need you to dip the brush into this bowl of _achiote_, and then pass it over the leaf, like you're painting it. Do you think you can do that?"

"Yeah! That's easy!"

"Show me."

Naruto dipped it into the bowl and spread it over the green leaf.

"_Perfecto!_ _Dame la hoja cuando termines._ Pass me the leaf when you're done," he said, translating the sentence for him. "I'm going to fill it with a rectangle of the _masa_, the dough; Kakashi will add the chicken, and _abuela_ is going to wrap them up. Then, we need to boil them in water for several minutes before they can be eaten. These are called _pasteles_, Naruto. And they're the most delicious thing on the face of this earth."

Iruka's mother placed her hands on his shoulders before kissing his temple.

"You're too nice to me," she said, sliding her arms down to hug him around the neck.

"_Es la verdad, mami. Tus pasteles son los mejores del mundo." (It's true. Your pasteles are the best in the world.)_

Kakashi dipped his fingers into the cooked chicken, sneaking a bite.

"_Mira a este caballero_! _(look at this gentleman!)"_ she teased, swatting at Kakashi with a towel.

"It's true, Elena. They're the best," he said, licking the delicious remains off his fingers.

"Kakashi prefers them over _Yvolina's Tamales_, _mami_, and he would sell his soul for a box of those," Iruka said, trying to forgot the way his husband's tongue had just run up his own finger.

"I would not," Kakashi scoffed, but when Iruka raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief, he added, "…maybe only my left arm."

"Only the left?"

"My right one is too valuable," he said, a flirtation in his eye.

_Jesus, does he have to be so obvious? _Iruka thought, before his eyes flicked to an actual picture of Jesus that was hanging below the clock in the kitchen. For some reason, it made him blush, as if Jesus was somehow a witness to their homosexual antics.

"Ru, you're holding me up!" Naruto said, as Iruka looked down at the new leaf he had passed him.

An hour before they were ready to eat, Iruka's father had come back. His black skin contrasted starkly against his white linen shirt. He was darker than Iruka and his mother combined. He had a tan _sombrero de ala ancha_ (a wide winged hat/"panama" hat) on top of his bald head.

"Look who I found," he said, walking in the door, followed shortly by Rin.

"Merry Christmas, everybody!"

Rin had been joining the Umino's for the holidays ever since Kakashi had.

"I brought pie! One's pumpkin and the other is pecan," she said, slipping off her flats. She was wearing a pair of black and white houndstooth pants with a black sweater, her blue hair pulled high in a bun. "I didn't make them though, so I can't take the credit. My girlfriend did."

"_Gracias, nena!"_ Iruka's mom said, getting up from the couch to give her a hug. "And why didn't you bring this girlfriend of yours?! I want to meet her!"

"Oh, she's spending it with her family," she said, plopping down next to Kakashi on the sofa. "We're in a weird spot. It's like… we've been together long enough for her to bakes these pies, which is an intimate gesture… but not long enough for me to go with her to her family's house for the holidays? I don't know."

"Did you invite her here?" Kakashi asked.

"No."

"Did she invite you over there?"

"No…"

"Did you guys discuss it at all? Don't tell me you asked her to bake for you and then you didn't invite her to the actual event."

She bit her lip. "I was too nervous to! What if she thought I was moving too fast or something?"

"Rin, she made you these pies, which means she was with you most of the day today," Kakashi guessed (and was right). "She was probably waiting for you to ask her. And then didn't invite you because you didn't invite her."

Rin groaned, hiding her face in her brother's shoulder.

Kakashi laughed.

"Just call her. Do something tomorrow. I'm sure she'll be seeing her family again."

"Hey! Sasuke's here!" Naruto said, pressing his fingers against the glass of the front window, as he noticed them walking up the driveway. "I didn't know he was coming!"

The truth is, they didn't know either. Kisame and Itachi had confirmed, but there had been no mention of Sasuke.

"_Abuela!_ Come here!" He said, pulling her by the hand. "You have to meet Sasuke!"

Naruto bombarded them at the door, making it difficult for them to get out of their coats and shoes. Iruka got up to make introductions and try to control his son.

"_Mami_, this is Kakashi's best friend Itachi, his finance Kisame, and this is Itachi's—,"

"This is Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke blinked a few times, startled by the way his name echoed loudly through the hall. He gave a small wave in greeting.

"I'm Elena. It's a pleasure to meet you all. Come in, come in," she said, stepping aside.

"I made a sweet potato, um, casserole? Is that a thing people eat on Christmas? I don't know. I googled it. It might be a little burnt on the bottom…" Itachi said nervously, handing off the dish to Iruka, as if he couldn't wait to get rid of it.

"I had Kisame make something with green beans, in case it's inedible."

"It's _not_. It's good. He was going to toss it, but I wouldn't let him. We can just scoop out the top, leaving the burnt part behind," Kisame said.

"How classy," Itachi said, looking like he was trying to disappear inside the scarf around his neck.

"Please," Iruka said. "Look around you. Does it look like I come from a high brow family?"

His childhood home was small, filled with trinkets and memorabilia from Puerto Rico. It looked like something you'd find en _el campo_, in the countryside, nestled in the mountainous rainforest, not in the middle of Chicago. It was like a burst of the tropics; a contrasting sight to the snow outside.

The brown wicker furniture was fitted with thick cushions, their covers measured and sewn by Iruka's mom herself. She had chosen a pattern _of San Pedrito's_, a small bird native to Puerto Rico, with bright green plumage, a white chest, and thick red mark beneath it's thin beak.

A potted palm tree stood tall in the corner. The front windows were lined with all different types of plants, some hanging in macramé baskets, their vines creeping over the sides, reaching down towards the ground.

To the untrained eye, it looked cluttered. But to Iruka, it was home.

He knew it was the exact opposite of how Itachi was raised. He'd seen the pristine, minimalist nature of his childhood home, the few times he'd been inside it to pick up Naruto.

"Besides," Iruka added, as he guided Itachi further into his parent's home, "My mom would whoop your ass if she knew you threw out something that was still 90% edible."

Iruka had grown up poor. He never lacked any of the necessities, but even as a kid, he had an awareness that money was incredibly tight, despite never being directly told so. They were on food stamps, even though both of his parents worked. His mom had juggled two jobs, and his dad always came home late or worked odd hours, leaving Iruka alone most afternoons after school. He was sort of a lonely child, but never resented them for it. He knew they were doing the best they could and he knew they were doing it for him.

He would bend over backwards for his mom. He often did.

"_Estamos todos aqui, Iruka? (Are we all here?)" _she asked_._

"_Si_, unless someone else shows up that I'm not aware of."

"_Pues_, you know that'll happen anyway," she laughed. "Let's eat!"

After a huge meal of _arroz con gandules _(rice with pigeon peas), _pasteles_, _lechón_ (roast pork), _guineos en escabeche_ (boiled green bananas in a vinegar dressing), Iruka's salad, Itachi's casserole (which _was_ good), and Kisame's beans, they all laid comatose in various places around the house.

The Umino's neighbor had come to join them halfway through dinner, a little old lady by the name of Rosa, who lived alone with her tiny chihuahua. She had been talking to Kisame for about ten minutes now. He nodded politely, imparting a few _ah's_, and _si's_ before she got up to help Elena with the coffee.

"Kisame, you don't speak Spanish," Itachi said, point blank.

"Not a word," Kisame laughed. "I had no idea what she was saying."

"She was saying that if she was twenty years younger, she'd hit that. She was flirting with you." Kakashi grinned. "And you practically gave her your consent."

"Kakashi's a pervert. Don't believe a word he says," Itachi warned.

"I'm serious!" Kakashi laughed.

"Was Rosa hitting on you?" Iruka asked upon coming over. He handed them all tiny cups of coffee off a tray. "She's famous for it. She's finally let go of Kakashi after six years."

"See. Told you. She grabbed my ass once, on 'accident'."

"That was not an accident," Rin laughed from her place on the floor, leaning her back against her brother's shins. "I totally saw it. She went for it."

"She's like… 80," Itachi said, a disgruntled look on his face.

"Old people still have sex, Itachi. I'm going to be after that hot ass until I die," Kakashi joked, giving his husband's a slap before he sat down.

"_Kakashi_," Iruka hissed, his face flushing. "Honestly."

"_Wepa!"_ came a woman's voice, as she walked in through the front door.

"Karui, hey!" Iruka said, hopping up to greet her.

"_Mano_, where you been!?" she asked, her afro tied back by a patterned scarf, the tight bright red curls spilling out the sides. "Elena came to our last performance and invited me over, saying you'd be here. Is this what it takes to see you now?"

Karui was the singer of the _bomba_ group Iruka used to play with.

"I know. I've been busy…" he said.

"Oh, I've been told," she teased, looking over at the blonde-haired boy she'd seen a million pictures of. "_Tu mama_ has been bragging about _su nieto_ all around the city. He's famous."

"Naruto," Iruka called, "this is my friend Karui."

"Hi," Naruto said, looking up from his spot on the floor to wave at her.

He and Sasuke were currently engaged in a game of _jacks_, gifted and taught to him by Iruka's mom earlier. You had to bounce a small ball, and pick up the allotted pieces before it hit the ground again. Sasuke was winning. He had already won, three times in a row, having absurdly fast reflexes. Naruto kept demanding a rematch.

"_Tienes hambre, Karui?_ _(Are you hungry?)_ We have so much food left over and dessert…"

But she never got to answer because three men, all various cousins of the Umino's, burst into the house yelling,

"_PARANDA!"_

One of them struck up the _cuatro_, a small 12-stringed guitar, as another slapped upon the _pandero _(a hand drum), and the last man clacked together the _palitos _(heavy wooden sticks), holding down the beat.

The trio sang out:

"_Traigo esta truya para que te levantes_

_Traigo esta truya para que te levantes_

_Esta truya esta caliente_

_Esta truya esta que arde"_

_(I brought this crew to wake you up _

_This crew is hot_

_This crew is on fire)_

"_Esoooo_," Karui shouted, clapping her hands, before getting a pair of maracas from her bag, swinging her wide hips to the beat.

Iruka's dad pulled out a _guido_, seemingly out of thin air, joining in, scraping the thin stick along the ridged edges of the wooden instrument.

"_Traiste tu tambor? (Did you bring your drum?)"_ Karui asked Iruka over the noise.

"I didn't, actually,"

"_Por que?"_ she said, elongating the second word, slapping him on the chest. "What's happening with you, _hermano_?"

Iruka gave her a shrug, before noticing Naruto had stood up, a grin on his face, enjoying the new chaos that entered the room. He looked like he wanted to do something but didn't know what.

He left the room to search for a drum. Now that he thought about it, it was kind of weird that he didn't bring his. Oh well, he knew there'd be one around somewhere.

He found it in his father's study, next to a worn out armchair. He picked it up, seeing his reflection in a mirrored shelving unit, one that housed many different types of rum, and several cigars.

When he returned, he found his mom dancing in the middle of the circle with Naruto. He was bouncing on his feet, wiggling his small hips, while everybody clapped to the beat.

Iruka pulled Naruto aside.

"Do you want to learn how to play this?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Naruto shouted, jumping up and down.

"Okay," Iruka turned the large drum on its side, taking a seat on its neck, so the skin rested between his legs. "All you have to do is give it a hit. Not too hard, it doesn't need much to make a sound."

Iruka demonstrated, playing a much more complicated beat than Naruto would.

"I wanna try!"

Iruka got up and Naruto sat down in his place.

He slapped his hand against it, creating a loud _plat_. Wide eyes met Iruka's.

"_Si,_ like that," Iruka crouched down next to him. "Try and keep it steady," he said, tapping his hand on the edge of the skin. "Match me."

Naruto's eyes narrowed on Iruka's hand, biting on his tongue in concentration, as he tried to hit the drum at the same time Iruka's hand fell. It took him almost a two solid minutes, before he got it.

"_Eso, mi amorcito!"_ Iruka said, touching his hand to Naruto's knee in praise, leaving him to play whatever beat he wanted.

Meanwhile, Iruka's mom had brought out several more instruments. She gave Rin another _maraca_ and Itachi something that looked like a wooden gourd, with a net of beads around it. A bewildered look spread across his face. He quickly handed it off to Kisame, who didn't hesitate to give it a shake.

Itachi, looking like a wide-eyed doe, met Kakashi's eyes, whose were shining with amusement.

"Welcome to the family, Itachi," Kakashi laughed.

Itachi couldn't help but smile; the energy _was_ infectious. Iruka was right; this was not like any Christmas he had ever known. It wasn't like _anything_ he had ever experienced before. The love and warmth that filled the room was palpable. He wondered for a moment what Iruka's childhood must have been like, to be surrounded by such obvious affection. It contrasted starkly against his own memories; ones that revolved around meticulous manners and polite conversation.

He glanced at Sasuke, whose cheeks were flushed pink with enjoyment. He had been handed an Andean flute and was very timidly attempting to play it. He felt overcome by an intense sense of gratitude towards Naruto, for befriending Sasuke. Towards Iruka and his family. Towards his best friend. Towards his soon-to-be husband.

If this is what Christmas felt like, he'd celebrate it every year.

Several songs and rounds of _pitorro (moonshine with fermented fruits)_ later, Elena had set the pies and several other desserts on the table, beckoning them all to grab a plate.

Kakashi had left for the bathroom a while ago, and knowing that _pitorro_ went straight to Kakashi's head, Iruka got up to check on him.

When he reached the bathroom though, it was vacant. Instead, he saw light spilling out from his old bedroom. He slipped through the crack in the open door, finding Kakashi reclined on the bed, his feet still planted on the ground.

"_Estás bien, mi amor?_ What are you doing in here?" he asked, coming to sit beside him.

"Thinking," Kakashi said, his arms folded behind his head.

"About…?"

"Remember the first time I met your parents? It snowed so much we had to spend the night. Your mom made me sleep on the couch."

"Yeah and then you snuck in my room to have sex. The bed squeaked so loud, we moved to the floor," Iruka laughed, his eyes moving to the spot on the carpet. "Of course I remember. I'll never forget."

Kakashi sat up, giving himself a bounce.

"It still squeaks," Iruka observed, smiling at him.

In fact, much of the room was the same as how he left it 12 years ago. The same furniture, the same layout. It was just decorated differently.

"I find it hard to believe that you came in here just to reminisce about the first time we fucked in my childhood bed," Iruka teased.

"Do you, though?" Kakashi smirked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Stop it," Iruka laughed, pressing a finger into his eyebrow. "And no, I guess it's not _that_ hard to believe. But I know you. There's something else. I can tell."

Kakashi got up from the bed, crossing over to the dresser. He fingered the edge of a framed family portrait; a young Iruka sandwiched happily between his parents. He turned around to lean against the wood, sticking his hands in his pant pockets.

"I don't know what I did in my life to deserve you, Iruka, but whatever it was, I'm so grateful for it."

Iruka felt a lump form in his throat, taken off guard.

Okay, so Kakashi was just going to tell him. Usually it took more prying.

"Seeing Obito yesterday, knowing my life used to be… _that_," he winced, not wanting to go back there, even if it was only in thought, but he forced himself to.

"Knowing the person I was when I was with him…"

"But you're not that per-," Iruka began, but Kakashi cut him off.

"Let me finish. Please," Kakashi said, moving his arms to cross them over his chest. "I wasn't a good person. And the way I treated you…" his face contorted with pain.

"Yet, you _saw_ me. Even when I couldn't see myself. I guess what I'm getting at is… thank you. For sticking it out. For having faith in me. Because if the roles were reversed, I would have fucking booked it. I wouldn't have touched me with a ten foot pole. And then I'd never be here. Right now. With you. With our son."

Iruka wanted to get up and embrace him, but he could tell he wasn't done speaking yet.

Kakashi furrowed his brow, pinching at the bridge of his nose. He released his hand, looking Iruka directly in the eye.

"Why? Why did you put up with all of that? With me?" Kakashi wondered, piercing him with his glassy, drunken eyes.

Iruka let out a small, almost involuntary, laugh. He rested his elbows on his knees, steepling his fingers together.

"You wouldn't believe the amount of times I asked myself that same question," Iruka said, honestly.

"And what answer did you come up with?" Kakashi asked, somewhat desperately.

"I… didn't have one," he said, rubbing his palms on his thighs. "I just knew that I needed to wait. I told myself I'd be whatever you needed me to be, within reason, until the time was right. Because..." he sighed, "…my intuition kept telling me to stay. That's all I had to go off of. A feeling. In my gut. Even when the rest of my body told me to run."

He fiddled with his wedding ring, removing it, before standing up.

"I knew I was waiting for this," he said, holding up his ring in front of his husband's face.

"How's that possible?" Kakashi whispered, barely audible.

Iruka shrugged.

"I don't know. But I knew that you'd change my life. That you'd be important to me. I knew it the first moment I saw you."

"I wish I could go back and do things differently. Be with you sooner," Kakashi said, looking entirely crestfallen.

"I don't," Iruka answered honestly, resting a hand on his husband's belt.

Were there some things that he would have rather not endured? If he had to look back at it like that…yeah, it would have been nice. But it seemed miniscule now, in the grand scheme of the things.

"It's what gave us our foundation, Kakashi. A solid base. It's what makes us strong. We've been through so much together."

Kakashi took Iruka's ring from him and slipped it back onto his finger, as if he had just proposed again, before enveloping him in a kiss. It tasted like rum, and was so tender and full of emotion, that it made Iruka's stomach drop right down to his knees, making them quake.

"Let's go home."

After putting Naruto to bed, Kakashi had closed their bedroom door behind him, clicking in the lock.

"What are you doing?" Iruka asked, hearing it.

"Making love to you."

"B-but," Iruka stuttered, feeling flushed, as he watched Kakashi light the large, three wick candle that sat on their dresser, before shutting off the light. He removed his sweater and undershirt, dropping them on the floor, climbing into bed.

"What about…" Iruka started, but couldn't complete the sentence because his mouth had gone dry with the way Kakashi was looking at him.

"He'll be fine. He's passed out. Nothing's going to happen in the next hour."

"Hour?" Iruka inquired, as Kakashi began to tug at his night shirt. Iruka was already in his pajamas.

"Yes," Kakashi said, coming to straddle him, pulling the shirt up over his head.

Kakashi paused for a moment, staring at him.

"What?" Iruka asked, looking down at this own chest, as if there was something there that shouldn't be.

"Mmm… nothing. Just remembering that day at the hotel," Kakashi said, biting into his own lip.

Iruka laughed.

"Well, I don't have enough energy for that. Sorry to disappoint you..."

"You never disappoint me," Kakashi said, throwing Iruka's shirt to join his on the floor, swiping his tongue across one of his nipples.

Iruka leaned back on his hands, releasing a soft sigh of pleasure.

"Just don't fall asleep on me," he teased, running his fingers down Iruka's chest.

He placed a kiss to his pec, suspiciously close to where Iruka's heart lay.

"I love you," he said, into his skin.

He placed another kiss to his collarbone.

"I love you."

To his neck.

"I love you."

He tilted Iruka's chin up with his hand, leveling their eyes.

"Iruka, I'm so in lo-" Kakashi said, his voice hoarse, but before he could finish, Iruka closed the gap between their mouths, trying to infuse it with the same tenderness and emotion as Kakashi had earlier.

Kakashi pushed him down against the bed, lowering his body into him, as their mouths moved together with practiced familiarity. Dancing in a way that only came with years of kissing the same person. Knowing the curves of each other's lips. The way the other's tongue liked to move. How much to hold back. How to much to tease. How to make the other gasp and pine for more.

Kakashi rolled them onto their sides, deepening the kiss infinitely, as they both put their hands in the other's hair, both slipped a leg between the other's thighs, rubbing against each other, trying to get closer, to feel _more_, to touch _more_, even when they broke their mouths to pull their chests flush together, and there was nowhere else to go.

Iruka climbed on top of Kakashi, placing his palms beside his head, elevating the upper half of his body, as he ground slowly down against him. Kakashi gripped Iruka around his hips, feeling the bones of his pelvis gyrate beneath his hands. Kakashi turned his head to kiss and bite at his wrist, letting out a soft groan of appreciative pleasure.

Iruka licked across the sharp line of Kakashi's jaw, before latching onto his bottom lip with his teeth, giving it a tug, sliding his tongue over the spot, and back into his mouth. He raked his nails down Kakashi's chest, curling his fingers around the band of his pants. He took his time with the button and zipper, before removing them completely.

He traced Kakashi's erection lightly over his briefs with his fingers, _barely_ touching him, causing his husband to arch towards him, eager for more. He moved his fingers to trace his thighs, to trace his groin, getting as close to his cock as he could, only to skirt around it at the last second. Kakashi sucked in a breath, starting to sweat, desperation soaking his skin.

Iruka got out of his own pants, coming to hover his hips over Kakashi's, before bringing them down to graze his erection against his. They both moaned at the brief contact, inciting a series of shuddering breaths as Iruka teased him again. Iruka wondered how long he could control himself like this. Not long, he knew, so he left Kakashi's hips and walked his knees up the bed.

As soon as Kakashi got a hint of where Iruka was going, he brought his hands swiftly to his ass and helped him get there. Kakashi rubbed his nose, _no_, his entire face, into Iruka's groin, placing open-mouthed kisses along the length of his dick, saturating the cotton fabric with his saliva. Iruka reached backwards to cup and rub Kakashi with his hand.

"_Fuck_," Kakashi breathed against Iruka's cock, digging his fingers into his lower back before hooking them around his briefs, pulling them halfway down his ass, signaling to Iruka that he wanted them _off_.

Iruka left his face to remove his briefs, taking the opportunity to take off Kakashi's, too.

Kakashi lifted himself on an elbow, resting his head in his hand. When Iruka came back to him, he reached out with his other arm to tuck his hair behind his ear, letting his fingers drag through the length of it. It felt like silk, the way it cascaded over his wrist, slipping down his skin.

He cupped Iruka's face in his hand, coming to kiss him again. It was so soft and fluid that Kakashi felt like he was going to melt into a puddle on the bed, spilling all over the floor. He'd never get tired of this. This feeling that Iruka gave him. How he dissolved all of his defenses with something as simple as a kiss, exposing his soft, tender, vulnerable, center. It used to scare the hell out of him, but now he surrendered to it willingly, knowing he was safe.

He guided Iruka onto his side, until he had him where he wanted.

Kakashi grabbed a condom and the lube from the nightstand, placing it on the bed, until he needed it.

He brought himself behind Iruka, dragging his fingers down his spine, over the curve of his gluts, and along the crease where they met the back of his thighs, before shimmying up close, pressing his chest flush with his back.

He positioned his erect cock between Iruka's legs, resting beneath his balls, as he slowly began to rock.

He smoothed a flat palm down the length of Iruka's body.

"_God_, you feel so good." Kakashi said, nuzzling his face into the back of his shoulder, relishing in the full body contact. He breathed in deep, feeling high off his husband's scent.

Iruka brought Kakashi's palm off his body and to his mouth, kissing it, before hugging his arm into his chest. He pushed his ass back into Kakashi, meeting his gentle thrusts. He looked down to see the barest hint of Kakashi's tip beneath his own cock, feeling Kakashi's pre-cum painting his skin, enjoying the friction, the way he rubbed up against his sac.

Kakashi rolled away to put on the condom, applying a generous portion of lube, before swiping some in Iruka's crack.

Iruka lifted a leg, opening up his hips, so Kakashi could enter him. He let out a heavy breath of pleasure, grabbing at the mattress, as his husband pushed in.

This was Iruka's favorite way to fuck. It was the most intimate. The position that allowed for the most skin contact. He loved the way Kakashi had to cradle him from behind, or vice versa.

Kakashi hooked an arm through Iruka's armpit, pulling them as close together as possible, before he began to move.

Iruka shut his eyes, enraptured. It had been a long time since they made love like this. Lately, when they had sex, it had to be quick and basic, fit into unexpected moments alone. So this, this made Iruka feel like warm, thick honey was sliding down his throat, seeping through his whole body as Kakashi ran a hand down his arm, interlacing his fingers with his, while he glided in and out of him.

Kakashi sucked on the spot where his neck and shoulder met, before dragging his tongue up to his ear. Iruka broke their hands, winding back to grip at Kakashi's hair, as Kakashi deeply groaned in his ear, his hot breath causing Iruka's skin to prickle.

The sound made Iruka's desire increase ten-fold.

He reached for the lube that lay discarded in front of him, uncapping it, before squeezing it into his own palm. He brought his hand to his aching erection, and began to stroke himself.

Kakashi watched over his shoulder, wildly turned on as he kept his eye's locked on the small bit of cum weeping out of Iruka already. He gave the flesh of his shoulder an appreciate nip, before bringing his own hand to Iruka's, resting it softly but firmly on top of his, as it moved with his husband's swift strokes.

Kakashi's thrusts picked up speed, becoming more desperate.

Iruka let go of his dick, so Kakashi could take over, winding his hand back into Kakashi's hair, not caring that he was coating it with a mixture of lube and his own cum. All he wanted to do was give it a _pull_, and he did, provoking a gasp of surprised pleasure from his husband's mouth.

Iruka tilted his head back, and Kakashi's face found a perfect spot against his neck, breathing hard against his skin. Iruka moved his grip from his hair, to his ass, squeezing onto it, trying to anchor himself against Kakashi's chest, wanting to remain as close as he possibly could.

Everything he felt for his husband bubbled up in him at once, threatening to erupt like hot lava over them both. The immense love that filled up his chest felt like it was enough to suffocate him.

"_Kakashi_…" Iruka breathed, feeling like he couldn't handle the intense pleasure and all his emotions at the same time.

"I know," Kakashi said, consolingly. He understood everything in the way Iruka had said his name. He was feeling the same way.

Iruka folded the pillow beneath his head in half, pulling the edge up to press into his open mouth, muffling the moan that erupted out of him, one he wouldn't have been able to stop, even if he tried.

When Iruka was finished, Kakashi wrapped his arm up his torso, digging his fingers into his chest, thrusting into him in incredibly quick spurts. Iruka interlocked his fingers with his as Kakashi came, turning him into a beautiful, shuddering, moaning, mess. Iruka almost cried as he felt his husband's body bucking sporadically against the sensitive skin along the curve of his spine. It felt like heaven.

They lay there for a few minutes, entirely spent, savoring their post-orgasm bliss.

Iruka turned his face to meet Kakashi's own, placing a firm hard kiss to his mouth, pressing a hand into the back of his skull.

"Do I have you permission to go to sleep now?" Iruka teased.

Kakashi lifted himself up to glance over his shoulder, surveying the scene.

"Um," he laughed, referring to Iruka's cum that was still splattered all over the place.

"Is it gross that I don't want to clean it up? Not the sheets. Not myself. I just want to pass out, with you inside me."

"Uh, a little," Kakashi said, placing a kiss to his shoulder. "And you would have to sleep incredibly still, which we both know is not possible for you."

"_Hey_," Iruka said, moving to twist his body, but Kakashi placed a hand on his arm, stopping him

"_Wait_," he laughed, before pulling his dick out of his husband.

"I've been better about that," Iruka said, turning to face him.

"Maybe the moving yeah, but you still hog the blanket."

Iruka had a habit of curling himself around the comforter. He became oddly possessive of it in his sleep. Whenever Kakashi tried to pull it back, even it out, he kept a death grip on it. At the beginning of their relationship, they had to sleep with _two_, because Kakashi refused to fight with him every night over it.

When they had moved into this apartment, they made sure to buy an oversized comforter, specifically for that very reason.

"Do I really still do that?" Iruka said, looking up at him with concerned eyes.

"Only on nights when it's really cold. But then I don't mind snuggling up to you. You're like a furnace."

Iruka's face hadn't changed expression.

"I'm just giving you shit, baby," he teased, tugging on a piece of his hair. "I love you and all your quirks, no matter how infantile they might be."

Iruka pulled the pillow out from under his head and smacked Kakashi with it.

"That's totally something a child would do, by the way," Kakashi said, laughing.

Iruka rolled on top of him, pressing the pillow into his face.

"You're the worst. I hate you," he said, through smiling lips.

Kakashi muffled something into the pillow.

"What?" Iruka said, still pressing it against his face. "I can't hear you."

Kakashi tore the pillow from his hands, tossing it on the floor.

"I said that's exactly how children flirt. Before they know what flirting is. I hate you too, Iruka Umino. You're _gross_. I'm gonna steal the juicebox from your lunch bag and chase you around the playground."

"Shut up, oh my god," Iruka said, pressing a hand over his mouth, laughing despite how stupid this all was.

Kakashi brought his hands to rest at Iruka's hips, who was still straddling his abdomen. He observed his husband in the subtle glow of the candle; his long hair trailed down his back, except for a few stray pieces that spilled over his shoulders as he leaned over him, his hand still pressed against his lips. His scar, ever prominent, cutting across his face. The dark brown pools of his eyes, that constantly radiated warmth and compassion.

His heart leapt up to his throat. If Iruka had moved his hand a bit lower, he would have felt his pulse quicken.

Iruka removed his hand from his mouth.

Kakashi went to speak but Iruka warned him,

"I swear to god if you say one more stupid thing…" he said, hovering his hand above Kakashi's mouth.

"You are so _fucking_ stunning, Iruka, it hurts. Like, _god_, you're beautiful. It's making my heart pound right out of my chest."

Kakashi brought his hand to his cheek, lightly grazing the edge of his scar with his thumb.

Iruka felt a blush blooming across his skin, as he fought back tears.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," he said, before crashing his lips down against his.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Time jump!**_

_(3 years later)_

_Naruto – 11 years old._

_Kakashi + Iruka ~ 33 years old._

**11.**

"What should we have for dinner?" Kakashi asked, peering into the fridge. "I'll cook."

It was only 3:30, but he wanted to get a head start on it so it would be ready when Naruto got home from practice. Naruto was always ravaged after soccer, turning into a brat until he ate.

"What about fried rice? We've got some brown rice left over from a few days ago. I can chop up whatever vegetables we've got left in fridge."

"Sounds good. We can poach some eggs, too," Iruka said, without looking up from his place at the table. He was browsing NPR on his iPad.

Kakashi removed the whole produce drawer, and placed it on the counter to more easily rummage through. He pulled out the odds and ends leftover from the week—half a head of broccoli, a few carrots, a chunk of bell pepper and daikon. Tomorrow was grocery shopping day, so it always slim pickings on Saturdays; the day they were most likely to order take-out or go out to eat as a family.

"Hey, Local Natives did a Tiny Desk. Do you want to listen to it?"

"Sure," Kakashi said, grabbing one of their fancy Japanese knives from a magnetic strip on the wall.

Iruka clicked it on before opening up the freezer. He took out a ziploc bag of frozen mangoes, chipping off a large chunk into a bowl, before putting it back.

It was hot, reaching nearly 90 degrees. Iruka absolutely loathed air conditioning, so he dragged out turning it on for as long as possible, much to his family's complaints.

Today he was feeling the heat though, knowing he wouldn't be able to deprive them much longer. Kakashi must have been feeling it too, because he tore off his shirt, draping it over one of the kitchen chairs, leaving him in nothing but a pair of black gym shorts. The temperature had gone up a few degrees, with the added heat of the stove.

Iruka returned to his place at the table, bringing his bowl of mango with him. He had every intention of resuming his scrolling through various spots around the internet, but he was too distracted by his husband's bare back: the way his muscles moved and flexed with each drop of the knife on the cutting board; the contrast of his fully tattooed colorful arms, against the porcelain white of his back.

Iruka popped a piece of frozen mango into his mouth, the shock of the cold bringing down the heat of his body. He smirked to himself, struck with a rather lovely idea.

He got up and walked over to his husband, placing his hands on his hips to turn him around. He pressed his mouth against his, and forced the mango he was sucking on, past Kakashi's lips and into his mouth.

Kakashi let out an adorable surprised _oh_, pausing to swallow the gift Iruka just gave him, before plunging his tongue into his mouth in thanks, nipping at his lip.

Iruka reached behind Kakashi, and shut off the stove. He grabbed his hand, the bowl of mangoes from the table, and pulled him into their bedroom.

"I've thought of a way to cool us down," Iruka said, pushing him towards the bed with a mischievous smirk, the bowl of mangoes in hand.

"Should we get a towel or som…?" Kakashi asked, glancing down at their white comforter.

"Shh," Iruka said, kissing him on the mouth to silence him. "Don't ruin my seduction. "_No te preocupes_ (don't worry), I'm not going to let any juice leave your skin. I'll lap up every," he circled a wedge of mango around Kakashi's nipple, "last drop," he said, dropping his mouth to prove his point, sucking his nipple into a hard point, gripping it between his teeth.

He dragged the mango down his abdomen, leaving a glistening orange trail in it's wake. Kakashi sucked in his stomach, inhaling harshly at the piercing cold. Iruka placed his tongue flat against Kakashi's skin, just above his pant line, and licked his way up.

Kakashi let out a appreciate breath, dropping a hand to grab at Iruka's hair, which was hanging loose about his shoulders.

Iruka put the mango in his mouth, a hint of salt against the sweet, intertwined with the taste of his husband's skin. He swallowed it, before pulling off Kakashi's gym shorts and briefs in one quick jerk, leaving his husband naked on the bed.

He picked up another cube of mango and passed it along Kakashi's bottom lip, applying it like a balm. Kakashi opened his mouth eagerly, sticking out a bit of his tongue. Iruka circled the cold, dripping mango around the tip of his tongue, before giving it to him to swallow, capturing his mouth with his in the process, sucking any remaining juice off his lip.

When Iruka sat up to remove his shirt, Kakashi sat up too. With Iruka still in his lap, he reached around him for the bowl. He picked up a piece of mango and moved Iruka's hair out of the way, hitting his neck first, licking and sucking up the mess, before bringing the fruit to his mouth. He pushed it past Iruka's lips, and before he could remove his hand, Iruka latched onto his wrist, and shamelessly sucked every last hint of mango off his skin, running his tongue up, over, and between his fingers. He watched the wondrous affect it had on Kakashi, his eyes now hooded, his mouth slightly open in a pant.

Beneath his straddle, Iruka could feel his husband becoming fully erect in the process. He pushed Kakashi back down against the bed with a bruising kiss, and picked up the last piece of mango, which was fully thawed and soft now. Iruka palmed it, warming it up a bit more, before using that same hand to wrap around Kakashi's dick, coating it with sticky sweet juice.

He brought his tongue to the base of Kakashi's cock and licked a solid line all the way up to his tip, probing the sensitive skin of his slit, before taking him in his mouth.

Iruka groaned with pleasure, the sound vibrating around Kakashi's arousal, causing him to clutch onto his husband's shoulder.

His favorite fruit, mingled with his _other_ favorite thing to put in his mouth? How had he never thought of this before? It was a completely erotic experience, stimulating so many senses at once—most notably, his salivary glands. His body felt hungry and horny all at the same time, creating a new feeling entirely.

Kakashi watched as he fell out of his lover's mouth, only to see Iruka proceed to lap at his dick like a goddamn ice cream cone threatening to melt in the summer heat. It looked sinful. Dirty. And Kakashi _fucking_ loved it.

"_Jesus_," Kakashi breathed, letting his head sink farther down into the pillow, unable to keep it upright anymore.

Iruka hadn't forgotten about the droplets of juice that'd he'd seen trickle down to his husband's ass. In the same strong movement, he lifted Kakashi up by the knees and spread him open, dropping his head again.

Kakashi's body gave an involuntary spasm, as Iruka's tongue found the juncture just before his hole. And then he felt the indescribable pleasure of Iruka's tongue enter him, and he let out a deep, dark, moan.

Iruka dug his fingers into Kakashi's thighs to let him know just how much he appreciated that sultry sound, rubbing his own arousal against the mattress in response, unable to resist, aching for some sort of friction.

Not caring how desperate it made him look, Kakashi rocked down to meet Iruka's tongue as he ate him. He couldn't help himself. It just felt so _fucking_ good. A warmth began to blossom in his chest, it's tendrils stretching and wrapping around every last inch of his body.

There was only one thing he wanted more than this.

He pulled Iruka up roughly by his hair, their chests smashing together, as Kakashi wrapped his legs around him.

"I want you," he breathed into a mess of hair covering Iruka's ear. "_So_ badly."

He felt his husband ignite above him at his words, rubbing his erection against his with new vigor.

"_Fuck me_," Kakashi continued, his hands impossibly tangled in his hair. "Please, Iruka."

Iruka ripped off his underwear and did just that.

He slammed into Kakashi and the feeling was so sudden and intense that Kakashi's hands shot to the mattress, fisting the comforter in his hands, before bringing them up to cup his mouth, in pure disbelief, over how good it felt to be fucked so hard by the man he loved.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any better, Iruka slowed down, dropping his body into Kakashi in slow, sexy, undulations, transitioning from raunchy to sensual in a matter of seconds.

"Touch yourself," Iruka whispered, the words tumbling out of his mouth in a shuddering heap.

Kakashi slid an arm between them, in what felt like a daze, and did as he was told.

Iruka dropped his head into Kakashi's shoulder, strands of his hair getting caught in Kakashi's mouth, sticking to the sweat on his brow, to his lips, touching his tongue as he huffed hot, frantic, breaths. He couldn't bring himself to remove it, not when one hand was clutching so hard onto his husband's ass, it was bound to leave a bruise, and the other was busy stroking himself to the point of bliss.

"'_ru..ka_…" was all Kakashi managed to strangle out, in an attempt to let him know he was close.

"Yes. _Oh, yes. Kakashi_," Iruka hummed into his ear, lifting himself up on his palms, starting to shake, as if he had been holding himself back, waiting until Kakashi was ready.

Iruka threw his head back in pure utter abandonment, and Kakashi watched the moan travel up his throat, and spill out his mouth; releasing a cry so loud, Kakashi swore a passerby would be able to hear it penetrate straight through the glass window of their bedroom.

And then Iruka moved so fast, he barely had time to register what was going on before his hand, which had slowed down, too distracted by Iruka's exquisite orgasm, was thrown away, and he was coming hard into his husband's mouth.

When Iruka came up, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, licking his lips, reminding Kakashi of a predator who had just thoroughly enjoyed devouring their prey. As if that wasn't tantalizing enough, he graced Kakashi with a sexy, sinister smile.

"_God_ do I love you," Kakashi said, feeling it in the depths of his heart. "You filthy fucking animal."

He pulled him up into a sweaty, sticky embrace.

Strands of hair got caught on his mouth again, but this time he removed them so he could speak.

"The only time I ever get a phantom craving for a cigarette, is right after you fuck me senseless," Kakashi said, feeling completely wrecked, like he could light one up right now.

Iruka wrinkled his nose in that adorable way Kakashi loved, his facial scar wrinkling right with it.

"I don't want our sex to have you desiring something so atrociously bad for your health."

Kakashi let out a soft laugh.

"Why can't you just take that for the compliment it was?"

"Why can't you compliment me better?" Iruka said, rising up on his elbows.

Kakashi's eyes took in this new sight: the steep slope of Iruka's back to the base of his spine, the curves of his gorgeous, muscled gluts.

"Okay. How about… the way you fucked me, reduced me to such a weak, immobile, mess, that I'm looking for something to bring me back to this planet?" Kakashi said, using his finger to drape Iruka's hair over his shoulder.

"Better," Iruka said, leaning down to kiss him. "Is this bringing you back to earth?" he asked, between kisses.

"Mm, no. It's only heightening my euphoria. I'm going to float right out of that window," he said, lazily pointing at it.

Iruka wrapped his hand around his finger, placing a kiss to his palm.

"You're not going anywhere. I'll anchor you here," Iruka said, shifting his weight back onto Kakashi.

"_Hm_." Kakashi chuckled, running a hand through Iruka's hair. "You're my anchor alright."

They laid there for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company, the silence, something that had been in short supply lately.

Iruka rose to sit.

"Remember we have Naruto's parent-teacher conference on Tuesday," he said.

"I know. I've already told my boss I need to leave early."

Kakashi sat up too and looked out the window, knowing their son would be home soon.

"Ten bucks says Naruto forgot sunscreen again."

"Shame on you," Iruka laughed, giving him a hard shove to the chest, causing him to fall back onto the bed. "That's a terrible bet. Just for that, you're going to be the one responsible for applying the aloe if you're right."

_Shit_, Kakashi thought. He'd seen Iruka try to wrangle Naruto's flailing limbs into submission before, protesting the cold liquid on his burning skin. When Kakashi went to assist him, he'd gotten a knee to the stomach.

"And I'm not going to help you."

Turns out, Naruto didn't forget his sunscreen, but he had neglected his shin guards, earning him a rather wicked bruise from a rogue cleat, clipping a little chunk off his skin. _(It was hot, Ru, my legs were sweating!)_

Iruka had made him stay inside the remainder of the weekend, with a bag of ice wrapped around it.

It was Monday now, and Iruka was sitting on the cement ledge of Isla's tank, dangling his feet in the water, waiting for his student to arrive. Three times a month, he hosted a "Trainer-for-the-day" experience, where one person shadowed the entirety of his day.

Isla came up and bumped his feet with her beak. Iruka held them out flat and strong, so she could rub her body beneath them.

Iruka looked forward to these days. He liked teaching, especially one-on-one, allowing him to give someone his full attention. If he hadn't become a trainer, he would have seriously considered being a biology teacher, most likely at the grade school level, when children were still filled with awe.

His radio crackled at him from a top the artificial rocks.

"Iruka. Your student is here."

He hopped out of the water and grabbed the radio.

"On my way."

Iruka walked his way towards the prep kitchen, catching a glimpse of himself in some glass on the way, subduing a stray hair. He had had Kakashi twist his hair into a French braid this morning. He had made him watch a Youtube tutorial years ago, until he had it memorized. He was a pro at it now. It did take him two tries today though, but only because Naruto insisted on helping the first time.

"This is the trainer you'll be working with today," a volunteer, whose name Iruka had forgotten, said as he approached.

"Haku, this is Iruka. Iruka, Haku."

"Pleasure to meet you," Iruka said, shaking the student's hand, who gave a shy _hi._

_Excellent,_ Iruka thought. _I love bringing people out of their shells._

He really did. And he was _good_ at it. Helping people unlock their true potential. Find their own value.

"Haku goes to Palatine High School. He's in the honors biology program."

Iruka noticed something flit across Haku's face.

"That school is barely a mile from where I live," Iruka smiled.

"Alright, well, I'll leave him to you," the volunteer said, before taking his leave of them.

There it was again. On Haku's face. A wounded sort of look. And then… it clicked.

"Haku…" Iruka began. "What are your preferred pronouns?"

Haku blushed scarlet, but at the same time, was visibly relieved. Lighter. An obvious change in expression.

"They/them," they said, quietly.

"Did you tell the volunteer that?" Iruka asked.

Haku shook their head no.

"But it was on my application," they said.

Iruka's mouth curled into a small frown, making a mental note to find that volunteer later in the day and make him read the application thoroughly, so mistakes like this didn't happen again.

"Shall we get started?"

After their lunch break, where Iruka had treated Haku to some sandwiches by a really good Italian deli near by, they had found themselves inside Iruka's office.

Haku had shed the knee-high rubber boots they'd been wearing most of the day, as Iruka had had them help with all of Isla's basic husbandry procedures, which involved her hopping out onto the smooth cement ledge, bringing copious amounts of water with her. Haku was back in their own shoes, a pair of low cut, tan, moccasin boots.

Iruka's office was below the alcove where they had access to the top of Isla's tank, a good chunk of glass acting as one of his walls, allowing him to observe Isla while underwater. A blue glow filled the room, before Iruka turned on his desk lamp.

"One of the things I love about working at the Shedd Aquarium, is they fund and support my research." Iruka said, spinning his desk chair around in his hand. "Take a seat."

Haku sat down and Iruka produced a pair of heavily padded, noise cancelling earphones, situating them over Haku's head, before plugging them into a device on his desk.

A series of clicks and whistles met Haku's ears. They listened for a few moments, before uncovering one ear.

"Is that coming from the tank?" they asked, lifting their eyes to the watch the dolphins swimming playfully around each other.

"Yep. When I'm not working directly with Isla, we open the divider so she can socialize. I've been observing and logging their behavior for years. Listening to how they communicate. Trying to learn as much as I can about the species."

"It's… oddly beautiful," Haku said.

"It is. And more complex than it sounds."

Haku took the headphones off their ears, their gaze dropping to a photo on Iruka's desk.

"That's my son," Iruka said, noticing their eyes had landed on a picture of Naruto, his crested-gecko Zuko balanced on his shoulder, a blinding smile on his face.

"He… looks nothing like you," Haku laughed.

"You're right. But he wouldn't, he's adopted," Iruka said, reaching for another framed photograph that sat on a tall bookshelf behind him.

He handed it to Haku.

"My husband and I adopted him three years ago."

Haku examined the photo, the three of them smushed together on the couch, Pakkun in Naruto's arms, before they looked up at Iruka in clear surprise.

"Did I not mention that I was gay?" Iruka laughed, finding it hard to believe he hadn't talked about Kakashi once yet.

"I mean… I could kind of tell somehow… but I didn't want to assume…" Haku said a little excitedly, failing to hide the smile they were trying to fight off.

They handed the photo back to Iruka.

"Um. How is it? Living in Palatine…?" Haku asked, shyly.

"As gay dads?" Iruka finished for them.

"As gay. And as dads, too. I guess that comes with a whole new set of challenges."

"A whole new set of discrimination, you mean," Iruka sighed. "Well, it's been alright, actually. We've lived there for almost eight years now, so we've become part of the community, but there's definitely room for improvement. Are you having a hard time at the high school? I didn't go there, I grew up in Chicago, but my husband did."

Haku fidgeted in their seat, before twirling the end of their long dark hair around their finger.

"I haven't told a lot of people about my pronouns yet. They already have a hard time figuring me out. Most people think I'm a girl by first appearance, yet I'm not. And then the boys, because of the stupid locker room situation, think I'm a boy, for… obvious reasons, and I'm not that either. And I just…I don't…I don't really know how to explain myself to people…I only know how I feel."

"You don't owe anyone an explanation, Haku. You don't have to explain anything to anyone, if you don't want to. Society didn't account for people like you, when they built their culture and standards on a strict binary, but that's _it's_ fault. Not yours. "

Haku looked like they were on the brink of tears.

"Hey," Iruka said, crouching down beside them. "You're perfect just the way you are. From what I saw today, you're an intelligent, kind person, with a face that is bound to break a million hearts," Iruka teased, trying to lighten the mood. "Other people will see that too," he reassured them.

Haku bit their lip, as a few shuddering breath's racked their chest.

"If you ever need any support, you can come find me. You know where I work now," Iruka smiled. "I can even give you my number."

"Thank you," Haku said softly, their eyes not leaving their hands in their lap.

"I want to be a teacher, I think," Haku suddenly confessed. "I tutored a troubled kid last summer, and really liked it. I saw the impact I had. Or maybe a counselor. Our school's counselors aren't equipped to help students like… like me. I would know. I want to have some sort of positive influence on younger generations. Be an example for other people who might feel like me."

"I think that's an incredibly noble goal," Iruka said, seeing so much of his young self in Haku. "And very brave."

Haku wiped their nose with their sleeve.

"I'm glad I came today. I'm not really interested in being a trainer, but I've always loved animals. A friend gifted me this experience for my birthday last week."

Iruka gave Haku a warm smile.

"How old are you now?"

"15."

"Happy Birthday, Haku. I'm glad you came, too."

Iruka spent the whole drive home thinking about Haku, hoping they'd be alright.

When he got to his driveway, he had to hop out of the car to move Naruto's bike, which was sprawled on it's side, out of the way, so he could pull in.

Before Iruka could even get his shoes off, Naruto zoomed over to him, buzzing around him like a bee hopping from one flower to the next, searching for nectar.

"Ru! Can you take me to the park to ride my bike? Please, please? Kashi wouldn't let me go past the driveway and that's no fun, I want to go far."

"Hi to you too, Naruto."

"HI!" Naruto said, looking like he was retraining himself from bouncing on his feet, so he just kind of swayed a little. "So, can we? Can we?"

"Let me say hi to your Dad first, okay?"

"Okay."

Naruto followed him into the kitchen, as Iruka found his husband with his hands in a large bowl, smashing something with his fingers.

"_Hola, mi amor_," Iruka said, nuzzling into Kakashi's neck, before planting a kiss there.

A smell of cumin, garlic, and fresh parsley met his nose.

"What on earth are you doing?"

"You left a recipe for falafel open on the iPad last night. I thought I'd try and make it for dinner. It said to smash it with a fork but this is faster."

Naruto pulled on Iruka's arm.

"You said Hi. Let's gooo."

"Naruto, that's rude. Your dad and I are talking. _Ten paciencia_."

Naruto stomped off into the other room.

"He's been a handful ever since we got home," Kakashi said, moving to rinse his hands at the sink, before drying them off. He pulled Iruka into a kiss by the front of his shirt.

"Hi," he smiled against his lips, before kissing him again.

Kakashi's phone went off with a ding.

"Maybe I should take him to the park, otherwise he'll be too fidgety to do his homework later," he said, as Kakashi was moving to check his phone. "Unless you need help with dinner."

"I just have to form it into balls and put it in the oven. I think I can handle it," he said, before he flicked open his text message, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Who's that?" Iruka asked, stealing a slice of tomato from Kakashi's prepped pile.

"Gai. When I saw him two days ago, he told me to ask you if we wanted to go see a new IMAX film with him and Lee at Navy Pier on Saturday. He sent me a text just now, reminding me, with a million thumbs up emoji's."

Ever since their very first match against each other three years ago, Kakashi and Gai had become good friends. At first, it was just hanging out at the Academy, training together. But then Gai would incessantly ask Kakashi to go for dinner afterwards, and one day, Kakashi finally accepted. Their relationship had blossomed from there.

Something about Gai reminded him a bit of his husband. They both wore their hearts on their sleeves, never afraid to say how they were feeling. And while sometimes that meant Iruka burst into fits of anger or irritation, Gai on the other hand, was a seemingly never-ending fountain of positivity. It was good for Kakashi to be around that kind of energy. Even on his off days, when he wasn't feeling himself, feeling depressed, Gai kept on being his cheery self, as if nothing was amiss. Kakashi really appreciated that about him. He usually avoided people when he was like that, noticing how he would affect their moods, dragging them down with him, but not Gai.

"It's only Monday," Iruka laughed.

"He wants to solidify the day before something else comes up and we can't go," Kakashi said, knowing that was the case even though Gai hadn't said anything.

"That sounds fun. You and Naruto should go."

"What about you? The new film is about oceans. I know how you love the 3D effect of stuff swimming at you." Kakashi teased.

"As much as I'd love to join you, I really need to work on my research paper. It's due to be reviewed in two weeks and if you go, that will give me a precious few hours alone in the house. I could get double the work done."

The AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) was publishing Iruka's research on the pacific white-sided dolphins.

"Hm, okay," Kakashi said, not trying to hide his disappointment, as he came to wrap his arms around Iruka's waist. "I'll miss you, though," he said, placing a kiss to his forehead.

"…It's still a week away," Iruka said, resting his head against Kakashi's chest.

"I know. And I'll say the same thing as I'm walking out the door."

Iruka planted a gentle yet deep kiss to his husband's mouth.

Naruto's head peered around the doorframe, his fingers gripping the white trimming of the wood.

"I've been patient," he said quietly, timidly. "How about now?"

Iruka laughed, pulling away from Kakashi. He'd gotten much better about jerking away from his husband when Naruto entered the room.

"You're right. You were patient. _Gracias,_ Naruto. Get your helmet and fill your water bottle. _Necesito cambiar mi ropa_. (I need to change my clothes.)"

Naruto pumped his fist into the air, before scurrying around the house to do just that.


	12. Chapter 12

12.

There was a knock on the door that came in three quick raps.

Iruka descended the steps to answer it, finding Fugaku on the other side.

"Oh, Hi, Fu…"

"Is Sasuke here?" Fugaku asked, cutting him off, attempting to peer around Iruka, even though he would only be met with stairs. When his eyes returned to him, they landed on his shirt—an old, worn out t-shirt from Pride a few years ago. It read: _It's a great day to be gay and alive, _beneath a massive rainbow_. _Iruka blushed, highly conscious of his sweats, which stood out in stark contrast against Fugaku's crisp designer suit_. _At least he hadn't thrown on the shirt Kakashi had bought at Pride—_the future is eating ass._

"Oh, um, no, actually. Kakashi took the boys out for ice cream. He should be back s—,"

"I want him home immediately."

"Is everything alright?" Iruka asked, startled by his sharp response.

"I see what you're trying to do here, and I won't stand for it. I won't let Sasuke be part of your…your…" Fugaku stuttered, looking for the right word, his eyes flicking to Iruka's shirt, before leaning in quietly to say, "…_agenda_."

"My _what_?" Iruka nearly shouted in return.

He couldn't make sense of any of it.

"You heard me. Send him home. _Now_. Next time, I won't ask nicely," Fugaku emphasized, before showing Iruka his back and heading swiftly to the car.

Iruka stood in the open doorway for a moment, dumbstruck.

_That was him being nice? Que cosa?_

He closed the door and climbed the stairs, grabbing his phone to call Kakashi.

"Yo!"

"Hey, can you drop off Sasuke at his house on your way home?"

"Sure, we were on our way, but made a detour to the bookstore. They're still pouring over a collection of comics," Kakashi chuckled.

"Can you maybe round them up?"

"Uh, yeah? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine."

"_Iru_," Kakashi warned.

He knew 'fine' in Iruka's vocabulary, meant that things were anything _but_ fine.

"I'll talk to you about it when you get home."

Kakashi sighed.

"Okay, see you soon."

"What's going on?" Kakashi asked, as slipped his shoes off at the top of the steps, while Naruto did the same.

"Ru, look! Kashi bought me a new box of colored pencils!" Naruto said, taking them out of the paper bag.

"That's great, Naruto," Iruka smiled. "Why don't you go test them out?"

"Ok!" Naruto said, running to his room excitedly.

Iruka pushed Kakashi into their bedroom, leaving the door open a crack.

"What…" Kakashi started, taking a seat on their bed.

"I got a visit from Fugaku while you were out," Iruka said, his hands on his hips.

"Okay…"

"He told me he didn't want Sasuke to be part of our 'agenda'."

"What does that even mean?" Kakashi asked, leaning back on his hands.

"I thought about it before you got back and no matter how I tried to look at it, I think he's referring to some sort of 'gay' agenda. That being around our family would somehow make Sasuke gay."

"_What!"_ Kakashi laughed. "That's… antiquated. Well, I'm honored. I think we're a shining example. I'd be thrilled if Sasuke were gay."

"It's not funny, Kakashi. He was threatening me. I think he means to cut Sasuke off from Naruto."

"_What?"_ Kakashi said, repeating the same word, but with an entirely different tone of voice this time. He stood up from the bed and made a move for the door, but Iruka blocked his path.

"Where are you going?"

"To pay Fugaku a visit."

"Don't."

Kakashi scoffed, throwing his hands out to the side.

"He shows up at my house, threatens my husband, intends to hurt my son, and you expect me not to do anything about it?" His eyes flashed angrily. "Yeah fucking right. _Move_, Iruka."

"_Keep your voice down_," Iruka warned, glancing at the crack in the door. "And as much as I admire your chivalry, it doesn't mean you get to talk to me like that. Just… _wait_. Wait a second."

"I'm not going to let some _piece of shit_ _bigot_ deprive my son of his best friend," Kakashi hissed.

Iruka moved to place a hand on Kakashi's chest, feeling his heart beat rapidly beneath his palm.

"I know _you_ don't care if you demolish your relationship with Fugaku, but it will have consequences for Naruto. Maybe we can still salvage this, but we won't have a chance if you storm over there, shooting off lightening. _Tranquila, mi amor_."

This seemed to calm Kakashi down a bit.

"Fine," he resigned himself. "What do you suggest we do?"

Kakashi knew he had something in mind.

"Maybe you could call Itachi and ask him for advice."

"_Advice?_" Kakashi repeated, the annoyance back in his voice.

"I don't know!" Iruka said, irritated by Kakashi's attitude. "He might have some tips on how to deal with him. It is his father…"

"Okay," Kakashi said abruptly, taking his phone out of his pocket.

Iruka folded his fingers over his wrist.

"Not now. Wait until tomorrow. Until your… primal energy wears off."

"_My primal energy?"_ Kakashi glared at him.

"_Si_," Iruka said, giving him a kiss, while slowly pulling Kakashi's cell phone out of his resisting hand.

Kakashi kept his mouth in a stern line, so Iruka attacked elsewhere, continuing to plant kisses all over his face, until Kakashi's features softened, and he let go of the phone.

"I can think of ways to exhaust my '_primal energy_,'" Kakashi said, pulling Iruka's hips into his.

"_Mm_, I wish I could let you unleash on me right now," Iruka said, running a hand down his back.

"Gone are the days of spontaneous wild sex, huh," Kakashi said, cupping Iruka's ass in his hand.

"Oh, god. Don't say that. _Ever_. We just have to be more strategic about it now."

"That kind of ruins the essence of spontaneity," Kakashi teased, as he leaned in to pull at Iruka's bottom lip with his teeth. "_Hmph_," he smiled against his mouth. "Too bad, it would have been fantastic."

Iruka groaned, as pleasure pulsed through his dick.

Naruto called for them from the other room.

"_Fuck_," Iruka laughed, pressing his forehead against Kakashi's.

"I love you," Kakashi said, tilting his chin up for a kiss. "Thanks for calming me down. I'm sorry I mouthed off to you."

"Apology accepted. The _only_ time you get to mouth off to me, is in bed. Preferably while you're slapping me around, and shortly before you fuck me."

Kakashi's body stilled, except for his fingers, which dug hard into Iruka's hips.

"You're a cruel man," Kakashi whispered into his ear, before licking up the shell of it. He moved his lips down to graze his neck. "Planting that thought in my mind without being able to follow through."

"Hold on to it then," Iruka said, leaning his head back to expose more of his neck, as Kakashi bit down near his throat, sucking the skin into his mouth.

Iruka raked his hands into his husband's hair as he let out a hot breath full of want.

"Imagine what you'd do to me, say to me—_ah_," Iruka gasped, as Kakashi bit down again. "Play it over and over in your mind, until you can't take it anymore," he continued, as Kakashi's kisses along his neck got more aggressive in reaction to his words. "And then—,"

"_Daaaaads_," came Naruto's voice.

Iruka groaned _again_, not wanting to step out of the delicious heat that had ignited between their bodies.

Kakashi laughed into his neck, sending a series of goosebumps across Iruka's skin. He gave one final kiss to his jaw.

"Come on," he said, pulling away to swipe a finger down Iruka's nose. "Let's go see our son's newest creation, hm?"

He grabbed his hand and Iruka let him pull him reluctantly towards the door.

"An hour and a half of TV _max_," Iruka said, as he moved around the house, picking up some of Naruto's stray clothes; so far he had a sock and a sweatshirt. "Enough to watch a few episodes or a single movie."

"Aye, aye, captain," Rin saluted.

"I'm sure he'll try to manipulate you into giving him dessert, but he already had it."

"Pantry, off limits," she said.

"I've caught him and Sasuke trying to snoop around in our room once, so please try to be attentive to that."

"Don't tell me you keep your sex toys under the bed," she teased, arching an eyebrow at him.

"_No_," Iruka said, mentally picturing the blue rubber maid container under the bed, reminding himself to move it.

"I think Mikoto just pulled up," Iruka said, glancing out the window, happy for the change in subject. He was driving with her to parent-teacher night, since Kakashi was coming straight from work. It didn't make sense for them to bring two cars. Rin had agreed to watch Sasuke too, since Fugaku apparently had to work late.

"_Naruto_," Iruka called.

He came out of his room in a pair of orange gym shorts, a black t-shirt, and one sock.

"Be good for Rin."

The doorbell rang.

"Sasuke's here!" Naruto yelled, running down the stairs.

"We shouldn't be too late. _Gracias un millon_, Rin."

"Don't mention it."

Iruka grabbed his steel water bottle and headed out, scruffing Naruto's hair as he passed him on the stairs, opting not to touch Sasuke, in fear of being scowled at, giving him an _hola_ in greeting instead.

"What are you in the mood for tonight, boys?" Rin asked, as they reached the top of the stairs together. "Movie? TV show? Video game? Jenga?" she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"_Jenga_?" Sasuke drawled.

"Hey, it's fun."

"Not when you play with Itachi," Sasuke continued. "And playing with Naruto would be even worse. He'd knock it over the minute he _breathed_ it on. _Pass_."

"I would not!"

"You're the clumsiest person I've ever met. It'd fall, like _this_," Sasuke said, giving Naruto a hard shove, causing him to collapse into the cushions of the couch. But Naruto was surprisingly quick, latching onto Sasuke's arm, pulling him down with him.

"_Ow_, you moron. That was my _eye_."

"Okay, okay. Break it up," Rin said, grabbing the remote to turn on the TV. "Since Sasuke's the guest, we'll let him pick something."

She rummaged in her bag, which was in the shape of _no face_ from Spirited Away, grabbing something, before handing off the remote to Sasuke.

"Sasuke's here all the time, you don't need to be polite to him _titi_," (affectionate word for 'aunt') Naruto said. "He doesn't deserve it."

Sasuke pulled Naruto into a headlock as Rin went into the kitchen, smashing his face into his lap. He continued to browse the TV like Naruto _wasn't_ flailing beneath him.

"I brought popcorn but," Rin poked her head around the doorframe, unfazed by the boy's entanglement "Where's your microwave?"

"Microwaves give you cancer," Naruto said, matter-of-factly, before giving Sasuke's nipple a twist, freeing himself.

Rin let out a laugh.

_You're Iruka's son all right. _

"_Buenos noches, Mikoto_," Iruka said, getting into the car.

"Iruka," she smiled. "Thank you again for letting Sasuke come by."

"Of course. You do so much for us. It's nice to be able to do something in return."

She pulled out of the driveway and into the street.

"Since we don't have much time alone, I'm going to come right out with it. Itachi called me. I apologize for my husband's behavior yesterday evening. I assure you, it won't happen again."

When Kakashi had called Itachi for advice earlier in the day, Itachi's answer was simple—he'd conspire with his mother. Mikoto was sweet and kind, but she was also fierce, and didn't take shit from anybody, _especially_ her husband.

"I appreciate you saying that, Mikoto. Thank you. I was mostly worried about Naruto losing Sasuke." He hesitated before pressing on. "Do you know what happened? It seemed so sudden."

She sighed, pursing her lips, showing just how much she didn't like what she was about to say.

"Apparently, my husband saw the them reading a manga together on the couch. Naruto was practically in Sasuke's lap, to hear him tell it. It wasn't 'normal' for them to be that close; my husband's words mind you."

_Normal_. Iruka knew in this circumstance that normal meant _straight_. There were so many problematic things that statement implied, Iruka didn't know where to begin. So he started with,

"They're only 11 years old."

"I know."

"And Naruto is a highly affectionate child. He latches onto anything that radiates warmth."

She laughed.

"I know that, too. Don't you worry yourself over it, Iruka. Fugaku was raised in a very… unaffectionate way. I'm sorry to say that it influenced his parenting. He doesn't understand unnecessary touch. Rest assured, I would _never_ let him prevent Sasuke from seeing your son. Naruto has been such a blessing to Sasuke. You have no idea the difference he's made. It puts a mother's heart at ease."

Iruka heaved a sigh of relief, as a tension he didn't know he was carrying, left.

Parent-teacher night was more like some strange mixer for the parents, who were intermittingly siphoned off, to have a moment alone with the teacher, allowing them to discuss their child's progress. The rest of the two hours was filled with awkward small talk and terrible snacks, trying to relate to each other through their kids. Iruka didn't mind talking about Naruto, he had _plenty_ of stories, it's just that he was feeling rather low on energy tonight, but was too polite to not indulge, should someone want to converse. He prayed Kakashi would be on time, for once in his life, so he could cling on to his arm, while his husband managed the strangers—a tactic they had perfected over the years.

Whenever Iruka didn't feel like socializing, Kakashi took the wheel. Granted, he spewed a whole lot of bullshit, lying his ass off, while Iruka tried hard not to laugh. Sometimes, if he was feeling playful, he'd offer statements like _that was really something_ or _I remember that well_, or he'd roll his eyes dramatically and proclaim _my crazy husband! can you believe it? _And those suckers ate it right up.

But Kakashi was not on time, so Iruka had lingered at the corkboard, keeping his eyes glued to the drawings. He found Naruto's easily enough, both Iruka and Kakashi comically drawn, their scars rather prominent, taking up much more of their faces than they should, complete with Pakkun, and a lumpy blob that had to be his gecko, Zuko.

"I'd say that Naruto's charming looks came from his father, but I know he's adopted."

That… was definitely the weirdest way Iruka had ever been hit on.

"Well, if you know that much about Naruto, then you know he has another father," Iruka smiled, turning to face whoever was attempting to flirt with him. He had silver hair, just like his husband, except Kakashi's was shorter, more alluring, and a shade whiter, while this man's hair seemed dry and lackluster.

"Mizuki," the man held out his hand. "Or Mr. Miller."

A blush flooded Iruka's cheeks.

_Naruto's teacher?_

"I _was_ going to grab the Haruno's, but you caught my eye. I think I'd like to meet with you first," Mizuki said, clearing checking him out.

"_Uh_," Iruka said, highly embarrassed, "I'd rather wait until my husband gets here."

_Hint, hint_.

"I assumed he wasn't coming."

"You assumed wrong," Iruka said, eyes flicking to the door. "In fact, he just got here."

Iruka noticed Kakashi had taken the time to change out of his work clothes, choosing a simple black t-shirt adorned with a white stencil of a coiled snake, it's mouth open in a hiss. His tight, bright red pants, stood out in stark contrast above his white sneakers.

Iruka watched every head in the room (men and women alike) turn as Kakashi walked in at a lazy saunter. There was a perceptible shift in the atmosphere, a little ripple of electricity. Iruka smiled to himself. He didn't blame them. Kakashi was always, and continues to be, _so_ sexy. Iruka thought he only got better with age.

"Sorry I'm late," Kakashi said, placing a hand on the small of Iruka's back. "Traffic was terrible."

"We can meet with you now, Mr. Miller," Iruka said smugly, looking at Mizuki, whose eyes had yet to leave Kakashi, a disgruntled look on his face.

He smoothed his hands over his shirt before clearing his throat.

"Yes, of course."

They walked over and took a seat in the two chairs in front of his desk.

"Naruto is an interesting, able it inconsistent, child," Mizuki started, shuffling through some papers on his desk.

_O…kay_, Iruka bristled. He didn't like the sound of that.

"His exam scores are far from great, but his homework is exceptional. I assume the difference is because someone at home is helping him," he threw a knowing, flirtatious look at Iruka.

"I'm not giving him the answers, if that's what you're implying. I help him until we figure it out together," Iruka said, annoyed at the accusation.

"How lucky he is to have you as his tutor," Mizuki said.

Kakashi pierced Mizuki with an analytical stare.

"I know Iruka is pretty damn irresistible, but could you focus your attention for a few seconds to finish telling us about our son?"

"Speaking of attention spans," Mizuki said, seemingly unfazed by Kakashi's jab, which Iruka thought was rather bold or rather stupid, depending on Kakashi's mood. "Naruto's is minute: disrupting student's around him, delaying the class from moving forward. I think he has ADHD. It would probably be best to put him on medication."

"Excuse me, _what_?" Iruka said, moving to the edge of his seat.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. Plenty of kids have it."

"_Puedes creer a este pendejo_?" Iruka asked, speaking to Kakashi.

(Can you believe this asshole?)

Kakashi hummed a small, pleased laugh. He loved seeing Iruka stick it to people, and he knew that's exactly what was about to happen.

"I'm not _ashamed_ of the possibility of Naruto having ADHD. I'm _fu_—," he caught himself, "_highly_ _offended_ that you want me to hop my son up on drugs, without a proper evaluation even, instead of _I don't know_, _maybe_ examining your teaching methods, try to adjust them to accommodate children who don't learn well by mindless memorization."

"Most of the other children are learning just fine. Why would I change my lesson plans for one student?"

_Why wouldn't you?_ Iruka thought. If it was _him_, he would work tirelessly to make sure no student got left behind. He would do whatever it took.

"That's repetition and recitation," Iruka said. "That's not _learning_. I've seen his homework. I don't know how anyone can be engaged with assignments like that. There's no critical or creative thinking involved. It bored me half to death."

"Mr… Uzumaki? Umino? Hatake? Which is it? Naruto has so many names, I had to have him explain why to the other kids."

He _what_ now?!

Iruka was hit with an image of Naruto having to stand up in front of the class, not out of his own initiative to share, but by being put on the spot by his teacher, essentially forcing him to explain how Uzumaki was the name of his dead parents he never met, and Umino and Hatake belonged to his two gay adoptive dads.

Iruka knew how alienating that could be to a child, how much "otherness" that would thrust onto his shoulders from the start.

The thought made him want to light this man on fire.

"_No puedo hacer esto, Kakashi. Por favor. Si continuo hablando, voy a matar a este hombre con mis propias manos_."

(I can't do this, Kakashi. Please. If I continue talking, I'm going to kill this man with my own hands.)

"I don't appreciate your tone. If you're going to insult me, at least do it in English."

"_At least do it in English_? What's that suppose to mean? It's not my fault you don't understand me. Why don't you learn Spanish?"

"Because I live in America."

"America_? Que carajo. La palabra_ América _no pertenece a los estados unidos. La mayoria de América—el centro, el sur, y latina—hablan español_, _tipo_."

(America? What the fuck. The word America doesn't belong to the United States. The majority of America—central, south, latin—speaks Spanish."

"_Okay_," Kakashi said, slapping his hands on his thighs, noticing they were causing a scene. Not that he cared about _that_ that much, but he knew when Iruka switched to Spanish, he was about to inflict some damage. Besides, he was not too _fucking_ keen on the fact that Mizuki was hitting on Iruka a moment before, only to berate him, and reveal himself as a racist. "Unless you have anything else to tell us about Naruto, we're gonna go."

"I want Naruto out of his class, Kakashi. _Ahora_. (Now.) I'm calling the principal tomorrow."

"Shouldn't we think about it for a minute?"

"_Por qué_?" Iruka said, his voice sharp enough to cut glass. "_El maestro es horrible_. _Primero_, blatantly telling us to put Naruto on fucking tranquilizers basically. _Segundo_, the remark about having three last names, which is pretty typical of Latin American families _by the fucking way_, and then that stupid racist comment about speaking English."

"I know, babe. I agree with you. But Naruto isn't going to want to switch classes. He's not going to want to leave Sasuke. And Kiba. And his other friends. He's not going to understand why, either."

They had reached their car. Iruka took a deep breath as both of them opened their doors and got inside.

"So I'm just supposed to hand off my son, five days a week, entrusting him to some _idiota_?"

"Naruto hasn't complained about him yet, right? As long as he doesn't treat him any differently after this, then I think it'll be okay."

Iruka heaved a sigh.

"Okay. I'll trust your judgment."

"Ooof. That puts a lot of pressure on me," Kakashi teased. "I don't know if I want it."

Iruka smiled, happy for the relief in tension.

"You weren't pissed he was hitting on me? I'm surprised he deflected you so well."

"Please. I don't know what universe he lives in, but even if we weren't together, he wouldn't have a chance with you. I don't even know how I had a chance with you, and I have enough self respect to know I'm leagues above _that_ guy."

Iruka blushed, hard.

"I don't know how you can say that. Do you have any idea how many people would throw themselves at you, given half the chance? The majority of that room, to start with."

"What a pity for the world that we only want each other, then."

Iruka smiled at him affectionately, reaching out to give his thigh a squeeze. He intended to let his hand rest there, but before he knew it, he was tracing soft circles against his pants, and then his fingers traveled closer to his groin, and Iruka felt a divine heat radiate off of his husband's body, encouraging his hand to slide over him, to touch and rub and grope. Suddenly, he was filled with an intense want—a need.

"Take me somewhere."

Kakashi ended up pulling into some retail shopping strip that had already closed down for the evening, circling around to the back near the dumpsters, away from any street lamps.

The minute he turned the engine off (but left the music on), Iruka was in his lap, straddling his thighs, kissing him breathless.

The song switched, and the fast, sexy beat of "All Babes Are Wolves" bumped out of the speakers, inciting Kakashi to take control of the kiss, pushing Iruka back against the steering wheel, causing him to bang his head on the windshield.

"_Ow_," he cursed, laughing against Kakashi's mouth, who took the opportunity to suck and bite and lick at his lips.

_C-c-c-c-c-come on babe,_

_I've never needed you so bad_

_You were born on a full moon_

_But baby I'm the only one howlin'_

_Baby, baby, baby._

Kakashi's fingers clawed down his back, before grabbing a fistful of his hair, giving it a yank, exposing Iruka's neck. He licked straight up, over the curve of his adam's apple, skirting around to his ear.

"_Let me suck your cock,"_ he growled, his voice coming out strained and rough, positively dripping with desire.

Iruka's hands left Kakashi's shoulders and dove frantically to his own belt, undoing his pants, shoving them past his hips. He lifted up as much as he could, contorting himself against the driver's side window, as Kakashi tore his pants the rest of the way down to his ankles.

Iruka fell back into him, his hand darting to the lever on the side of the chair, giving it a hard pull, as they both reclined all the way back.

He crawled his way up Kakashi's body until his half-hard cock was flush with his face, his own hands resting on the cushion of the back seat, struggling to find surface for his knees. Kakashi slid down the seat a little and guided them _somewhere_, and they stuck, before he took Iruka in his mouth.

Iruka let Kakashi devour him, _worship_ him, until he was fully, intensely hard, before his hips twitched with anticipation.

Kakashi slid his hands around to Iruka's ass and gave it a squeeze, and that was the only signal he needed to start thrusting into his mouth.

"_Ah_—," Iruka bit off a curse, his arms and abs beginning to burn from the effort it took to hold himself up and thrust at the same time, but _fuck_ it felt so good.

He paused for a moment and reached for Kakashi's wrist, pulling it in the direction of his face before falling back onto his palm again, eager to continue fucking his husband's mouth. His own mouth connected with the skin of Kakashi's hand, asking, searching, _begging_, for his fingers. Two of them slid into his mouth, and he moaned at the new weight on his tongue, immediately encircling his lips around them, giving a hard _suck_, before slicking them up with as much saliva as he could muster.

He turned his head to let Kakashi's fingers fall out of his mouth, and knowing exactly what he wanted, Kakashi stuck those same fingers in his ass.

Iruka didn't bite back his curse this time.

"_Fuck_," he groaned, as Kakashi worked him open, feeling an intense pressure start to build in his groin.

Not being able to wait anymore, he pulled himself out of Kakashi's mouth, who took a loud gulp of air, as he made his way back down to his lap.

"_Quitatelos_," Iruka said, pulling at Kakashi's waistband.

(Take these off).

Kakashi made quick work of his belt, lifting up his hips to slide his pants to the floor, resting in a pool above his shoes.

"_Shit, Kakash_—," Iruka breathed, at the sight of his husband's eager, weeping, erection. But Kakashi had cut him off with a bruising kiss, his lips full and swollen and _delicious_ from being wrapped around his cock seconds before.

_C-c-c-c-c-come on babe,_

_I never knew that you needed me_

_I was born on the wrong side_

_The wrong side _

_The wrong side of everything._

Iruka lowered himself into his lap, taking his husband in, breaking the kiss for a sharp inhale when Kakashi was fully inside. He threaded his fingers in Kakashi's hair and gave a sharp pull.

Kakashi let out a guttural groan, emanating from somewhere deep in his throat.

"Move, Iruka, _please_," he all but whined, writhing against the seat.

Iruka latched onto his ear with his teeth, sucking on the lobe.

"Impatient are we?" he teased, sending a hot breath across his ear, causing Kakashi to shiver. "You may be the one inside me, but I have the control. I'll move when I want to," he said, rolling his hips teasingly, before coming to a halt again.

Kakashi took a few desperate breaths, as Iruka's hands moved beneath his shirt, searching out his nipples, smoothing his palms over them. He gave them a pinch at the same time he sucked a section of Kakashi's neck into his mouth.

Kakashi's hands moved in spasms across his body; clutching, raking, pulling, _pleading_.

Iruka leaned away from him to drop a hand to his own cock, closing his eyes on the first stroke, teeth digging into his bottom lip.

He watched as Kakashi's eyes zeroed in on his strokes, as if he were committing it to memory, lust and pain coloring his cheeks pink. The sight was so fucking _beautiful_, it was a miracle Iruka didn't come right then.

Okay, he was _so_ done with teasing.

He moved his hips, and Kakashi let out a breathy sigh of gratitude, before his blunt fingernails dug into Iruka's lower back.

Iruka moved with expert precision, occasionally lifting himself up to sink back down, all while continuing to stroke his own cock.

He stopped pleasuring himself to push Kakashi's black shirt up his chest, until it was bunched beneath his armpits.

"I don't want to get cum on your favorite shirt," Iruka smirked.

"It would make me favor it even—_ah_—more," Kakashi said, his eyes all but rolling back in his head as Iruka gave a deft thrust of his hips.

"What? _No_. Those stains are really hard to—,"

"Iruka, I love you, but don't you dare talk about fucking _laundry_ right now," Kakashi kissed him. "Just _shut up." _He kissed him again_. _"Shut up and make me come for you or I'm going to lose my goddamn mind."

Iruka's breath hitched against his mouth, before kissing him deeply, swirling his tongue around Kakashi's. It wasn't long before they were both shaking and moaning as their orgasms ripped through them.

"_God_," Iruka said, after he'd fully recovered, leaning back against the steering wheel. "When was the last time we had car sex?"

Kakashi watched as Iruka pulled the tie out of his hair, letting it fall, before re-gathering it and tossing it back up.

_Oh babe, I would die for you, woah_

_Oh babe, I will never stray_

"It's been years, I think," Kakashi said, folding his arms behind his head, looking thoroughly satiated.

_Oh babe, I will never leave_

"I like this image of you," Iruka grinned. "Your shirt still on, my cum painting your abs. It's kind of erotic."

Kakashi chuckled.

"What _are_ we going to do about that?" he asked, looking down at his abdomen before checking his watch.

Iruka lifted himself out of Kakashi's lap, shimmied his pants back on, and then awkwardly climbed into the passenger seat, falling all over himself in the process.

"Graceful," Kakashi quipped.

"_Cállate_," (Be quiet), Iruka laughed, opening the glove compartment. "My knees are all locked up from fucking you in this cramped space."

He found a wad of napkins.

"Here. Clean yourself," he said, tossing them playfully at his face.

"Real mature, Umino," Kakashi teased, picking up the napkins that had fluttered all over the place.

"Umino _Hatake_," Iruka smiled, grabbing the newly collected napkins out of his husband's hand to clean him himself. "You can't divorce yourself from me whenever I do something immature. That's not how it works."

"_Hmph_. Iruka. Umino. Hatake." Kakashi mused, trailing a finger lightly down his face, before leaning in to plant a gentle kiss to his scar at the top of his cheek. "I will never, _ever_, divorce you."

Iruka smiled Kakashi's favorite smile; the one so big, his dimples emerged. Kakashi placed a kiss to one at the corner of his mouth, nudging it with his tongue, and said: "No matter how immature you might be," smirking all the while.

"_Fuck you_," Iruka laughed, pushing Kakashi away from his face, only to latch onto his shirt, and pull him back into a passionate kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

**NOTES**: Their marriage seems a little too good to be true, right? It's about time we break the façade of the perfect family, no? ;D

Iruka awoke to find Kakashi still fast asleep. He felt a sense of relief wash over him, followed by a sharp pang of guilt.

They had been getting on each other's last nerve lately. Nothing had even _happened_ between them, to spark this train of tiffs, but they couldn't seem to talk to each other without being sarcastic, passive-aggressive, or annoyed. It had been going on for a few days now, and Iruka was tired of it. He wasn't innocent, by any means; he provoked Kakashi as much as he provoked him, unable to stop himself.

It didn't help that Naruto seemed to be going through a rebellious phase. Everything seemed like a hassle—getting him to take a shower, walking Pakkun, cleaning his room, watering the house plants, minimizing his time on devices and screens—his manners had gone out the window, along with Iruka's patience, opting for tantrums instead. It made Iruka want to pull his hair out, especially since Kakashi left it for him to deal with.

He sighed, already feeling stress creep into his body without even having gotten out of bed yet. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. He'd been neglecting his meditation, too. Funny how his practice seemed easy to discard when he needed it most—when it required the most discipline. It wasn't working now either (the fact that he was still laying in bed had nothing to do with it, of course) because one word kept floating up to the forefront of his consciousness: coffee.

He moved to get out of bed as gingerly as possible, but despite his best efforts, it didn't go unnoticed by his husband, who rolled over and groaned.

"Why are you up so early?" he croaked, peering at him through his scarred eye, even though it was almost 9:00, able it a Saturday.

On any other day, Iruka would have taken that as an invitation to crawl back into bed and snuggle the morning away, but today it felt like a critique. He bit back his retort, along with any sort of reply. It didn't matter anyway, Kakashi had already fallen back asleep with his face buried in the pillow.

He crossed to the closet to get dressed. Just being in the same room as Kakashi, was making him tense. He really, _really_, wanted some time alone that wasn't spent at work or running errands. He was craving solitude, more than his caffeine hit, which was saying something.

He decided to go for a bike ride and stop by the farmer's market to grab a coffee there instead, a sure sign of his desperation, since he rarely drank coffee he didn't make himself.

He slipped into his clothes, grabbed his backpack, laced up his tennis shoes, and headed out without saying a word to anybody.

After an hour of riding, he felt better. He had taken the prairie path, a dirt trail that ran through dense forest preserves on the outskirts of town. Outside of the water, the forest felt the most like home, the purified air revitalizing his lungs.

He stopped at a boardwalk that ended in a small wooden deck, jutting out over wet marshland, to take a break and drink some water. He leaned against the railing and looked at some turtles basking in the sun, reminding him of Naruto. Naruto loved to come here this time of year, especially at dusk, to listen to the loud, deep croaks of the bullfrogs, and catch the first emergence of fireflies.

Iruka had been thinking _a_ _lot_ about what Naruto's teacher, Mizuki, had said two weeks ago. He had gone home that night and researched ADHD until the early hours of the morning, falling asleep with his iPad on his chest, attempting to soak up everything he could. He visited the library the next day, checking out a few books that had gotten rave reviews. His favorite, the one that had spoke the most truth to him, heralded the impact of getting children outdoors and into nature as much as possible. He was halfway through it, with pages upon pages of notes.

Iruka tried to get Naruto outside on most weekends, but he wanted something more. Something... more engaging. More educational. Something that would teach him about his surrounding environment. Get his hands dirty. Iruka was a biologist, yes, but his specialty was the ocean, marine life, and they were far from it. He knew little about the native flora and fauna of Illinois, much to his regret.

He made a mental note to browse the Forest Preserve's website when he got home to look for any upcoming events and opportunities, before mounting his bike, and continuing on his way.

The market was bustling this morning, but he wasn't surprised. Early summer was a fantastic time for fresh produce in Illinois, you could find almost anything your heart desired. He walked alongside his bike, stopping at his usual stalls, stocking up on fruit and vegetables for the week.

Having gotten his groceries out of the way, Iruka was ready to seek out some coffee. There were always two or three booths with some hipster youth that raved about their locally roasted, fair trade coffee—their team "bought it directly from Colombian farmers"—proudly holding up a canister with a picture of a _real live Colombian_, dressed in some sort of traditional garb, as if to prove it's authenticity.

Familiar colors drew his eyes and when he brought them into focus, he saw a small Puerto Rican flag—the _real_ one, with Caribbean blue, not the navy blue meant to imitate the U.S.—hanging from the lip of a vendor's tent. Next to it was the same flag, but drained of all color, replaced with black. He knew that one, too. He had it printed on a shirt—the protest flag. He headed straight over.

"_Buenas_," he greeted what seemed to be a young family of four.

"_Buenos dias_," a woman smiled, with skin as dark as his father's.

"_Que tienes aqui?_" Iruka asked, as his eyes began to browse the table, immediately recognizing things that grew on his grandmother's _patio_ in Puerto Rico.

"_Bueno, somos un collectivo de puerrtoriquenos_, mostly. _Tenemos un huerto urbano y comunitario donde sembramos semillas locales de Puerto Rico_. _Hay aji dulce_—," she said, picking up small red and green peppers out of a wicker basket, "—_recao, berejenja, calabaza, habichuelas blancas…_"

"_Y platano?_" Iruka teased, knowing full well you couldn't grow plantains in Illinois.

She laughed.

"That'd be peak Puerto Rican, no?"

Iruka smiled in returned.

"This is incredible, _de verdad_. I used to help _mi abuela con el sofrito—majando en un pilon bien grande_," he laughed, imitating the motion. "_Mi mama_ bought her a food processor, but she refused to use it," Iruka shared, in remembrance. "I'll take half a pound of _aji dulce_ and a bunch of _recao_." He wanted to recreate the same experience with Naruto, except _he_ would be using a food processor.

"_Mira_," she said, placing peppers on a scale to be weighed, "if you like to plant, we have space at the community garden. We have private plots you can rent to grow whatever you want, or if you help with the _brigadas_, we can do an _intercambio_—your work in exchange for produce."

She handed him a pamphlet with their information, along with his buys.

"_Me encantaria_," Iruka said, lighting up. This is _exactly_ the type of thing he was looking for. "I think my son would like it, too."

"_Si! Traigo tu hijo_. I bring my kids, too. Oh! _Tenemos café tambien_," she said, grabbing a green bag off the table. "If you want to try it, we have some already brewed. _Es de Jayuya."_

"_Si, porfa'. Que chevere—mi familia viven cerca de alli. En el campo de Ponce."_

"_Tu eres ponceno?! _My partner is from there_," _she said, turning in his direction_, _who gave Iruka a nod of acknowledgement.

"Well, I was born and raised in Chicago, _pero mi mama y mi papa son de Ponce. Bueno, mi papa es dominicano tambien, pero si."_

"Small world," she said, handing him a steaming hot cup of black coffee.

"_Que rico_," he said, after taking a sip. It was full-bodied and _delicious_. Iruka didn't understand coffee culture's obsession with espresso's—he'd take _café cola'o_ over that crap any day. "_Dame una bolsa de café tambien_," he said, swinging his backpack around one shoulder to place his purchases inside, before reaching for his wallet.

"We meet every Tuesday and Saturday at the garden. I hope to see you there," she said, handing him his change.

"_Dale! Nos vemos."_

"_Un placer."_

"Where's Naruto?" Iruka asked, plopping on the bed next to Kakashi, despite being sweaty and sticky from his bike ride.

"He went to the beach with Kiba. Hana took them," he replied, still fully engrossed in his book.

"That's not a beach," Iruka said, splaying out on his back. He didn't care that Chicago had created an artificial sand bank along the lake—that was _not_ a beach.

"Okay, fine. Lake Michigan. You say that every time."

And just like that. Here they were again.

"I see you're still a grouch," Iruka said, getting up to go…anywhere really, that wasn't the same room as his husband.

He grabbed his backpack from where he left it at the top of the stairs, and headed for the kitchen. He was excited to tell Kakashi about the community garden, but now he held it back out of spite.

On his way to the kitchen, he caught sight of Naruto's room out of the corner of his eye. He went to stand in the doorway, observing the wreckage. He gave a heavy sigh, anger searing through him, before dropping his bag on the kitchen table, and crossing back to his bedroom.

"Naruto's room is still a mess," he said, with his arms crossed over his chest.

"I know."

"Then why is he at—," he unfolded his arms to mark the quotations "—'_the beach'?"_

"We didn't have any plans today. I thought it'd be okay."

Iruka took a few steps closer to the bed, asking for his attention, but Kakashi hadn't looked up.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," he said.

"I tried to get him to clean it before he left."

"Oh really?" Iruka implored, not believing him for a second. "How hard did you try?"

"…he was being difficult," Kakashi said, avoiding Iruka's real question.

"When is he not difficult for chores, Kakashi? It just takes persistence. You were being lazy."

Kakashi barely glanced up from his book—regardless of the accusation—inciting Iruka to promptly snatch it out of his hands. It was Iruka's _biggest_ pet peeve.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Of course I'm listening to you," Kakashi said, looking at him fully for the first time.

"Then can you give me your attention, please?" Iruka asked, tossing the book onto the bed. Kakashi grimaced, not at the gesture, but at the fact he wasn't able to mark his page.

"Okay," Kakashi sighed, folding his hands in his lap so he wouldn't reach for his book again, not unless he wanted Iruka to swiftly chop them off. "You have it. Undivided."

"Kakashi you…" he pinched the bridge of his nose, staring at the floor, trying to will himself to communicate without _yelling_, "…you need to discipline Naruto more. I can't be the only one. I told him he couldn't do anything this weekend before he cleaned his room, and I _know_ you were well aware of that. By letting him go, you completely undermined my authority as a parent."

Kakashi stared at his hands, accepting his scolding.

Iruka huffed impatiently.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"_Dios mio_, Kakashi. That's such a cop out. I don't want you to tell me what I want to hear. I know you have your own thoughts rattling around in there."

"Are you implying my head is empty?"

Iruka looked offended, and then annoyed.

"I would never. Don't be a child," he seethed.

That made Kakashi bristle.

Well, fine. If they were going to get ugly…

"You want to know what I'm thinking? I was thinking maybe you need to get laid. Then you wouldn't be so wound up."

Iruka leaned back, aghast. "_En serio? En fucking serio?_ You did _not_ just say that to me. I can't believe you," he said, walking out of the room only to come right back.

"That's another thing, _mi amor_—," Kakashi didn't know how Iruka could make his favorite term of endearment sound demeaning, but he'd done it. "—I'm tired of you using sex as a way to gloss over an argument. I don't like it. No more fucking until we can stop jumping down each other's throats," Iruka said, before leaving the room for the good.

It took every ounce of Kakashi's strength not to joke about putting something _else_ down each other's throats, but Iruka would murder him, and he didn't quite feel like dying yet. However, it didn't stop him from being a smartass.

"Judging by how hard you came last night, you _seemed_ to like it!" Kakashi called after him.

"CABRON!" Iruka yelled from the kitchen, dishes clattering loudly in the sink.

Kakashi braced himself for Iruka to storm back in, but he never did. Iruka could hit you with the full force of a hurricane—beautiful and devastating—if you knew which buttons to push, and Kakashi knew them all—he was an expert. He hated to admit it, but it turned him on when Iruka got pissed off at him. He knew it was fucked up, but he couldn't help it. The make-up sex… well… it was fucking _phenomenal_. But now that that was clearly off the table, he'd actually have to take responsibility for himself.

_Dammit_.

When Naruto got home, Iruka was waiting for him at the top of the stairs with his hands on his hips. He watched as his son's bright smile flickered and faltered like a candle caught in a breeze, until it snuffed out into nothing.

"Judging by the look on your face, I think you know what I'm about to say," Iruka began.

"No…" Naruto said softly, feigning innocence, the nervous movements of his eyes giving him away completely.

"What did I tell you yesterday after dinner?"

"I don't remember…" Naruto said, fiddling with the edge of the beach towel slung over his shoulder.

"_Naruto_."

"You said I needed to clean my room."

"Then why is it still dirty?"

"I… because…" he mumbled, looking at Iruka with watery blue eyes.

Iruka met him with a stern glare, letting him know _that_ wasn't going to work.

"I was going to! But but, Kiba called, and and and, if I cleaned it _before_, it would be too late and they wouldn't wait for me and I really really wanted to go. We brought Akamaru and Kiba taught him how to play Frisbee! It was so cool! I want to teach Pakkun..." Naruto rambled on, excitement coloring his voice, forgetting he was supposed to be depressed about being reprimanded. "…so we can play together but Pakkun is kinda small. I don't know if his legs can jump that high. You should have _seen_ Akamaru! He was like _wooo_! _Whoosh_!" Naruto said, hopping in the air, attempting a twist, losing his balance on the steps.

Iruka had to quickly reach out and grab him by the shirt, or Naruto would have tumbled backwards.

"…and then he'd bring the frisbee back and one time I threw it into the water on accident and he swam to get it! A dog! Swimming! It was so _funny!"_ Naruto threw his head back, giggling.

"_Naruto_," Iruka said again, trying to muster authority into his voice, while fighting off a laugh. Naruto was just too damn _cute_.

It worked, though. Naruto snapped his mouth shut and swallowed.

"You will clean your room right now."

"Right _now?"_ he whined. "But I'm _tired!_ I wanted to watch Dragon Prince with Kash—"

"_Now_. Unless you can clone yourself, you better get to it quickly, or you won't have time to watch anything before dinner, let alone before bed, with the state your room is in."

"But I don't _wanna!_ It's not _fair!_ Kashi said I could go!"

There it was. Dropped like a bomb.

"Well, Kashi was wrong. He shouldn't have let you go. You and your Father are in the same boat. I'm not happy with either of you," Iruka said, raising his voice loud enough for Kakashi to hear him from their bedroom.

He finally moved out of the way, letting Naruto up the stairs.

"Take a shower first, unless you want to add sweeping up sand to your list of chores."

Naruto stomped up the last few steps, a pout plastered on his face, sand sprinkling onto the wood floor in the process.

Iruka came home the following Friday to find a note taped to the outside of the front door.

_Go straight to the shower and change. No cheating._

It was written in Kakashi's chicken scratch. He was only able to read it from years of having to decipher it. Kakashi had great handwriting actually, when he put in the extra few seconds to make it legible, which apparently, was too much of a bother today.

Iruka sighed, removing the note and crumpling it up in his fist, before pulling open the door and heading up the stairs.

He wasn't going to do this today. Not _again_, for fuck's sake. He wasn't going to get annoyed over every little stupid thi—

When he got to the top of the stairs, he paused, stunned. Neither Kakashi nor Naruto were in sight, only Pakkun, trotting out of the kitchen, and...

The house was spotless.

Immaculate.

Iruka did as instructed; the bathroom was a straight shot from the top of the stairs, and hopped into the shower.

He went to his bedroom in a towel, to find it had also been meticulously cleaned, too, and opened up the closet.

The laundry bins were empty and things he had known were dirty, now hung neatly on hangers.

_What is he up to?_

Usually, he changed into a pair of sweats after work, but he had a feeling Kakashi planned something that would require somewhat nicer attire.

He went for simplicity—black skinny jeans, which he rolled up a few inches past his ankles, and a black scoop neck t-shirt, dipping low enough to reveal the start of his defined pecs. He slipped a long, beaded necklace over his head for a splash of color—a gift from Kotetsu, who had sent it from Mexico. Despite his hair being wet, he threw it up anyway.

_Now what?_ He thought, having completed Kakashi's instructions. He assumed Kakashi was hidden away in the kitchen, so he left to find out.

Sure enough, he found him there, leaning against the counter, waiting for Iruka. The table was spread with a large platter of beautiful sushi, and a potted white orchid, Iruka's favorite flower.

"_What…_" Iruka gasped, feeling himself blush all over.

"Sit," Kakashi said, pulling out a chair for him.

Iruka sat down, feeling nervous; as if this were their first date and they hadn't been together for a decade already.

Kakashi opened a bottle of expensive sake and poured them each a glass, before picking up a pair of chopsticks and serving them both.

"Naruto made the _tekkamaki_," Kakashi chuckled. "That's why it looks like… _that_."

Iruka was confused for a second before it dawned on him.

"You made these?" he asked, his eyes wide. They looked like a work of art. Masterfully executed.

"I did."

"How did you have time to do all this?" Iruka asked, amazed.

"I made Naruto clean the house and do the laundry—_with some guidance_—while I cooked and prepped the meal."

"How did you convince him to do all that?"

"It wasn't hard, when I said it was for you. He wanted to do something nice for you, too, to…uh, make up for last weekend," Kakashi said sheepishly, scratching at the back of his head. "Hence that atrocious roll."

Iruka laughed, a familiar sting burning at his eyes.

"Iruka," Kakashi began, putting his chopsticks down, a sign of his seriousness. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for undermining your incredible parenting, and failing you as a partner. You're right. I don't discipline. I _was_ being lazy. Not just last weekend, but…" Kakashi frowned with obvious disappointment in himself. "… for the last three years. I've been leaving all the hard parts of being a parent to you. It's not fair, you don't deserve it, and I know it exhausts you. I promise to show up for you. For our son. Even if it makes me uncomfortable. I promise to be better—," he reached for Iruka's hand. "—and learn from you when I don't know how."

That's it. There was no stopping it. Tears snuck out of Iruka's eyes, as he turned his hand over and squeezed at Kakashi's. He smiled, letting out a small laugh, as he removed his hand to wipe at his tears.

"Thank you. That means everything to me."

They both began to eat; the tension from the last week and a half, leaving. After a few bites, Iruka spoke.

"This is delicious, Kakashi, wow."

"It is, isn't it?" Kakashi smiled, proud of his work. "And despite the ugliness of Naruto's, it actually tastes alright."

"Where is he, by the way?"

"He's staying the night at Kiba's."

"The night?" Iruka flirted. "You didn't do this just so I'd lift the sex ban, did you?" he asked, even though he knew that wasn't true.

"No," Kakashi chuckled. "I decided before you got home that we wouldn't have sex tonight, for that very reason."

He took a sip of his sake.

"Although…I am seriously regretting it now. You look…" Kakashi tilted his head, examining him, biting into his bottom lip. "…so sexy. I'd rather eat you for dinner."

Iruka blushed so hard it made him sweat, averting his eyes to his plate.

"I love that I can still make you blush like that," Kakashi teased, poking Iruka's leg with his foot.

"How could I not?" Iruka said, covering half of his face with his hand, embarrassed. "You just told me you wanted to stick your tongue in my ass like it was normal dinner conversation."

"I was a _little_ more poetic than that. It was perfectly appropriate. I was being polite."

"Such a gentleman," Iruka teased.

"We both know I could have been worse, in which case you'd already be in bed with your pants down, half way to an orgasm"—Iruka fumbled the sushi that was on the way to his mouth—"but I thought you'd like to enjoy your meal," Kakashi laughed.

"You think I just lose all sense of self control, when faced with your perversions?"

Iruka asked, while picking up the rogue piece of squid with his fingers and putting it in his mouth.

"I know you do," Kakashi said, purposely lowering his voice. He eyed the splattered grains of rice on the table, as if to prove his point, before leaning back in his chair to unabashedly ogle him.

Iruka felt a magnificent wave of pleasure course through his body.

_That smug son of a bitch._

They stared at each other for a few heated seconds. If one of them had sprinted towards the bedroom, the other would have _definitely_ followed, but neither wanted to be the one who broke the agreement. The one who fell weak to the seduction. They were both too proud. Too stubborn.

"_So_ what are we going to do with the rest of our night then?" Iruka asked, attempting to sweep the rice over the edge of the table and onto his plate.

Kakashi reached for an envelope hidden beneath the ceramic pot of the orchid, and handed it to him. Iruka opened it to find two tickets with today's date inside.

"Glass Animals?!" he exclaimed. "I didn't know they were in town."

"I figured as much. Otherwise you would have said something."

"How—how did you get tickets so last minute?" Iruka asked, knowing it would have sold out weeks ago.

"I have my ways," Kakashi grinned. He glanced at his watch. "We should leave in half an hour."

Now that they were going out, Iruka decided to dress his outfit up. He slipped into a feather light, slightly transparent ensemble that trailed down to his calves. It looked like a cousin to the kimono—something Kakashi had brought back for him from Japan when they had first started dating. It was black, adorned with light pink flowers and near turquoise leaves.

He pulled his hair into a low bun, and fitted it below a wide brimmed black hat. On his feet were a pair of tan timberlands, toning the outfit down to feel more casual, and less fancy.

Kakashi was waiting for him on the couch.

"You're really going to make this as hard as possible for me aren't you?" he asked, running his eyes all over his husband. "_Damn_, baby."

Iruka came to straddle him.

"It's not my fault you made a abstinence pact with yourself without consulting me first," he teased, enveloping him in a kiss.

For something that started out so sweet and chaste, it turned rather naughty, fairly quickly, the more they made out. Kakashi dove right into it, desperate from their drought. It felt so fucking _good_ to be kissing Iruka again, to reconnect, after the shit week they had. Kakashi was trying to satiate his desire with his kisses, with his tongue, knowing it was all he was going to get tonight.

It was working. A little _too_ well.

"Let's go," Kakashi said, pulling back, his heart pounding in his chest, kissing the place where Iruka's shirt dipped. "Before I come in my pants like a teenaged boy."

Iruka got up, offering his hand.

"Hm. We'll save _that_ for the dance floor," Iruka smirked, pulling him to his feet.

Kakashi gave Iruka's ass a backhanded slap as he turned for the stairs, and prayed to god he could keep it together.

**End notes: **

I've totally neglected this site, you guys. I'm so sorry! I really have jumped shit over to Ao3. It's just... so much easier to work with. However, I WILL finish posting this fic here, since I occasionally get reviews on it, and have some followers. I won't leave you hanging! BUT if you like my work, check out my ao3! I have 7 other KakaIru fics on there, including a prequel to this story, chronicling how they met. Thanks for supporting this story! I'd love to know what you think. :D

PS. I can't for the life of me figure out how to insert a link here ;P so, I'll drop the text instead.

( /users/ladyxdaydream)


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